WGA Sends Out Strike Rules To Members As Potential Hollywood Labor Shutdown Looms Next Week

deadline.com:

Less than a week before the Writers Guild of America’s latest contract expires, the guild today sent out strike rule to its members in highly anticipated labor action hitting Hollywood on the morning of May 2.

In an email that just went to guild members, Corey Kniss and Ann Burdick of the WGA West and WGA East respectively laid out how things will go if Hollywood scribes put their pens down next week. (See the full strike rules email below) The boilerplate rules, which the guild adopts following every strike authorization vote, “Spell out members’ obligations during a strike,” according to the message sent out this evening. “Members who violate the rules are subject to discipline under the Constitution.

Non-members who break the rules will be prohibited from joining the WGA in the future.” Discipline includes fines, censure, suspension or even expulsion from the guild. “While our WGA Negotiating Committee continues to bargain with the AMPTP with the goal of reaching a fair deal by the May 1st contract deadline, at the same time, we must plan for a possible strike,” the contract negotiating committee said in a message to members. “The WGAW Board and WGAE Council have therefore adopted Strike Rules, which we are posting today so members have an opportunity to review them before any potential work stoppage begins.” After overwhelming strike authorization vote earlier this month that delivered a strong mandate to guild leadership, the WGA has continued its talks with studio reps at the AMPTP.

While those negotiations could see a last minute deal, a strike looks more likely than any point since 2008, the last time scribes took to the picket lines.