As the writers strike continues into its third week, the Writers Guild of America is warning studios that a long strike is not in their favor.
Deadline writes that the WGA claims the strike is costing the California economy $30 million a day. The estimate is based on the $2.1 billion that the Milken Institute calculated was lost during the 100-day WGA strike in 2007-08. That number comes out to $21 million per day at the time, which, when inflation is taken into account, comes out to $30M/day in 2023.
In a message sent to Writers Guild of America members, WGA East VP Lisa Takeuchi Cullen referenced the loss, saying, “Based on prior estimates, the strike could be costing about $30 million a day in lost studio output. A DAY.”
In another message sent to members, the guild’s negotiating committee warned studios of a long strike, arguing that “the studios are risking significant continued disruption in the coming weeks and months that would far outweigh the costs of settling.”
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According to the WGA, its “proposals on the table at contract expiration on May 1 would cost the industry collectively $429 million per year, approximately $343 million of which is attributable to eight of our largest employers.”
Meanwhile, one particular studio executive doesn't appear concerned with the estimates. In a response obtained by Deadline, the unnamed exec said that WGA's numbers "are baseless and just made up to gin up their membership and make for provocative headlines.”
