Assignment
Most people probably don't think "Hollywood" when they think "unions." Perhaps they think of truck drivers, teachers, autoworkers, electricians, and other members of powerful and well-known labor unions. But in fact, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) is a long-standing and potent force in the media business and has been protecting and advocating for creative workers across the United States for over 50 years. The Guild consists of two separate unions that are loosely linked but often act together-the Writers Guild East and the Writers Guild West. It's a not-for-profit organization whose members include thousands of graphic artists and writers for motion pictures, television, radio, newscasts, and increasingly the Internet. One direct result of the three-month writers' strike in 2008 was the Guild's extension of its jurisdiction to include Internet content, and the organization is now in the process of developing rules to protect and govern its members' work online. The Guild has created the position of New Media Project Manager for this purpose. As one writer associated with a late-night TV talk show observed, in the entertainment business "all ideas start with the writer. Without writers you don't have a business at all-we start the ball rolling." That's the kind of pride in authorship that members of the Guild readily feel with the power of their union behind them. The main purpose of the Writers Guild union is to protect its members, ensuring they get proper credit for their work and are properly paid.
Compensation for scriptwriters consists of two parts: up-front money, which is paid on delivery of the work, and residuals, which are continuing payments made when the work is reused-for instance, when a show is rerun or goes into syndication. One way the Guild protects members is by receiving their residuals directly from the networks and other broadcasters, so it can check their accuracy before turning the money over to the individual writer who earned it. The Guild maintains a complex monitoring system that allows it to track reruns and verify payments and crediting. When something goes wrong-if someone isn't properly paid or credited-the Guild will step in on the writer's behalf. In the event of disagreements, the Guild will take the case to arbitration to ensure the writer gets what he or she has earned. Most networks are closed shops, meaning writers must belong to the union to work there. In return, the Guild provides benefits like health care plans and pensions. Members' income can range widely, so the Guild makes special efforts to draw them together and develop the kind of solidarity that can make picketing and strikes effective. Recently, for instance, almost 1,000 WGA members filed a class-action lawsuit against two leading talent agencies claiming age discrimination. A $4.5 million settlement fund was the result. Picketing has been successful, too.
WGA picket lines recently won members protection against employers' ability to fire workers at will (employment at will means an employee can be fired at any time for almost any reason and with few legal rights). And strikes, while costly to all parties, can get good, if imperfect, results for union members. The 2008 writers' strike, for instance, sought a penny increase in the fee writers earned from the sale of movie videos and a percentage of the income from foreign sales of films (many U.S. films earn even more money abroad than they do at home). After three long months of a strike that disrupted the fall seasons of many top-rated TV shows and left other workers associated with those shows temporarily out of work, the strike ended with the achievement of only one of the goals-the percentage of foreign sales. Union officials were satisfied that the deal made everyone at least a little bit happy, and from that perspective it was a good outcome. The WGA continues to support creative workers in the entertainment area. Writers Guild West recently came out in support of Hollywood's composers and lyricists, who are currently not unionized but are seeking entry to Teamsters Local 399. "We're very supportive," said a Guild spokesperson. "We consider composers and lyricists our colleagues, and we believe they deserve the benefits of a union contract."21 Questions
1. Should union members in nonessential industries like entertainment have the right to strike when their actions may put others out of work as well?
2. Do you think a labor dispute outcome that leaves both sides partly satisfied is a good outcome? Why or why not?
3. Union membership in the United States has been on a slow decline for about 30 years. What factors do you think account for this drop?
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.