New York picket lines: Quality over quantity

At Gotham’s Warner Center, Writers Guild of America East picket lines were composed of maybe 50 people on Wednesday. Whatever they lacked in quantity, picketers made up for in diversity with members of Actors Equity Association, SAG, AFTRA and even the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (a fellow AFL-CIO affiliate with the WGAE). Multihyphenate Tim Robbins and thesp David Hyde Pierce marched alongside picketers, and Hyde Pierce brandished a SAG sign.

“What do we want?” chanted the leader.

“A FAIR DEAL!”

“When do we want it?”

“NOW!”

Writers and supporters carried placards with variations on the “We just want our fair share” theme; one mostly white sign said in small print, “Blank ‘til we get a contract.” At least one tambourine circulated around the line.

“I’m one of the lucky ones,” said Robbins. “This isn’t a strike of millionaire screenwriters; this is about rank and file, about people who are trying to pay their mortgages and feed their children.”

Robbins worried that the media would further gravitate toward the internet, resulting not just in a lack of WGA web residuals, but in all residuals.

“I’m here because I hate strikes,” said Hyde Pierce. “I hate that it’s come to this.”

Hyde Pierce said that the relatively small income studios receive from new media isn’t really the issue for him. “It doesn’t matter whether or not the amount is significant,” he said. “You can get a residual check in the mail for less than the postage. I think there’s a formula for sharing the profits.”

-- Sam Thielman

Comments

[MitchNY]

Well, I was there from about 11AM to 1:30PM and I'd say the average was over a hundred people. But yes, there was diverse union support including AFTRAns whom Memberfirsters from Hollywood claim are not supporting the WGA. More bull from the West. Unity is not their bag. They seem to like disunity, which makes one wonder: who are they making happy?

[Dan C.]

I was on the picket line in front of Time Warner from 2pm to 5pm and there was way more than 50 people. More like 150-200. In fact, I would say there was even more than the first day at Rockefeller Center. Could just be a convenient location near the Upper West Side, or maybe we're actually picking up steam. You have to conclude that a combination of media coverage, curiosity and guilt is bringing more supporters. My guess is that Fox on Friday will bring out even more.

[Sam Thielman]

Dan, did the "special guest" ever show up as advertised? I was curious to see who it was, but I had to get back to work.

[Dan C.]

Yes, Sam Waterston did show.