Res 0694-2023

Whereas, The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW), jointly referred to as the WGA, represent over 11,500 writers in film and television across the country, who are currently without a contract and on strike; and Whereas, Despite many weeks at the bargaining table, the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents major companies including Disney, NBC Universal, Paramount, Netflix, Apple, and Amazon, rejected a range of reasonable WGA proposals essential to sustaining and stabilizing the industry; and Whereas, Writers have had their earnings decline as much as 23%, inflation adjusted, in the last ten years while studio, network, and streaming profits soared; and Whereas, Media companies have taken advantage of the industry's transition to global streaming by forcing writers to work for less money, over shorter periods, with few opportunities for advancement; and Whereas, As a result, writers are facing the greatest assault on their compensation and working conditions in a generation, while their employers collected almost $30 billion in profits every year from 2017 to 2021; and Whereas, Many tens of thousands of creative professionals work in the film and television industry in New York, and the City has a profound interest in maintaining the industry's workforce; and; Whereas, Writers are the lifeblood of the entertainment industry, and without their skills and abilities the industry would have no product to produce, narratives to direct, or stories to share; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers to engage in good faith negotiations that will result in a fair contract for all Writers Guild of America members. LS 13708 07/31/23 EA/RO