Writers Strike

The 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike consisted of workers from the Writers Guild of America, East, and West. These labor unions represent film, radio, and television writers all working in the United States. More than 12,000 writers joined the strike which first began November 5, 2007 and was concluded February 12, 2008.

The writers voted on February 12, 2008 on whether or not to lift the restraining order. 92.5% of the writers voted for an end of the strike. The guilds were on strike for 14 weeks and 2 days (100 days). The previous strike which was in 1988 lasted 21 weeks and 6 days. That strike cost the American entertainment industry an estimated $500 million dollars.

Strikes have been a part of history. A way to rebel and fight for what you want. A famous strike in history was The Newsboy's Strike of 1899. It was a youth-led campaign to enable a change in the way that newspapers compensated the child labor force. The strike lasted for two weeks causing the newspaper company to reduce its circulation from 360,000 to 125,000. The strike was successful and it increased the amount of money newsboys received from selling papers.