Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) joined striking writers and actors on a picket line outside the Manhattan offices of Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery on Monday, as reported by Deadline.
What Happened: Ocasio-Cortez, a vocal advocate for workers’ rights, joined the picket lines to support the members of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) or Writers Guild of America (WGA) who are currently on strike.
The strike, which has caused significant disruption to the industry, is a protest against unfair compensation and the use of artificial intelligence in scriptwriting. The unions are demanding compensation throughout all stages of production and have expressed concerns over the use of artificial intelligence in scriptwriting. Ocasio-Cortez addressed the crowd, stating,
“Frankly, while this is a fight against AI, more than AI, this is a fight against greed. This is a fight against Wall Street, and this is a fight against the endless pursuit of more wealth. How many private jets does David Zaslav need?”
Why It Matters: The Hollywood strike is a significant event in the entertainment industry, marking the first time in over six decades that both actors and writers have gone on strike simultaneously. The strike comes at a time when the industry is still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The actions of the unions have been met with varying reactions, with some, like Disney CEO Bob Iger, expressing concern about the strikes and others, like President Joe Biden and various Congress members, showing support for the striking workers. The strike could have a lasting impact on the movie and television industry.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
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