Monday, March 16, 2009

Writers Guild Shrinks Staff

Another sign post of tough times:

The Writers Guild of America West has notified its staff that it will cut at least 10% of its 185 employees as a result of an operating deficit of more than $2 million.

The WGA West had no comment Monday evening about the job cuts, expected to be announced in coming weeks.

... The WGA West has increased its expenditures in recent years to beef up its organizing efforts in reality and animation but has registered negligible gains in those arenas.

It's difficult to have to cut staff, but sometimes your hand is forced. You can't always predict cash flow in the middle of financial distress, so you trim the sails and hope for the best as you plow into the storm.

On thing, however, I know: It's better for every working person in Hollywood when the industry's unions are strong and taking care of business. Because it means that, long term, the people who have to work for a living will have enough money in their pockets to raise healthy families and be productive citizens.

Let's hope that whatever cuts the Guild has to make are neither deep nor prolonged.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

How can the WGA claim to want to organize animation? Do they not have to acknowledge TAG's efforts before anything? I can understand reality, but animation? If we are not animation, what exactly to they consider to be 'animation.' Their animation mission is divisive and destructive.

Anonymous said...

185 employees? I wonder how that compares to other unions in the paid-union-staff to members-who-make-a-living ratio?

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