An official statement from the Writers' Guild of Great Britain:British writers and trade unionists will hold a public demonstration on Wednesday 28 November 2007 in support of the American screenwriters’ strike.
The demo, which is part of an International Day of Solidarity, will take place at 12 noon outside the Trades Union Congress HQ in Great Russell Street, central London (link to StreetMap).
The event will be headed by the President of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, David Edgar, and we hope that as many members as possible will join us to show their support.
Official Writers Guild of America T-shirts and placards will be distributed to participants in the demo. The event will be filmed and we hope that a video compilation covering demos in Britain, Ireland, Australia, Canada and other countries will be added to the many strike-related clips on YouTube.
Supporters from other British trade unions will also be taking part. A top-level TUC meeting will be discussing the US screenwriters’ strike earlier the same day.
WGGB General Secretary Bernie Corbett said: “Guild members and other supporters are urged to come to the TUC in Great Russell Street (near Tottenham Court Road tube station and the British Museum) at 12 noon sharp on Wednesday to make this a convincing demonstration of support.
“This demo coincides with reopened negotiations aimed at settling the strike by achieving fair payments for the use of writers’ work on new media platforms such as the internet and mobile phones.”
For more strike information please visit http://www.unitedhollywood.com/ or http://www.wga.org/.
FROM THE CHAIR OF THE TV COMMITTEE
ReplyDeleteCome one, come all! The International Day of Solardity is a unique opportunity for British writers to show solidarity with our striking colleagues in America; and also to educate the public about writers, our incomes (or lack of them) and our rights.
As we've reported in the past, the WGGB has already succeeded in obtaining the digital rights and residuals which WGA writers are striking for. But how long do you think any of us will hang onto these rights should (wash your mouth out) the American strike fail? Whatever happens now could affect our rights and incomes for the rest of our career. It's not often writers are able to control their destinies and help to change the world. That time is now. Please come and join us on the demo. It'll be grand to see you! And I hear the WGA red t-shirt's quite fetching too.
Has anybody come up with a good idea as to how lone writers marooned out in the sticks can indicate their support at the appointed time?
ReplyDeleteHi Stephen! You can contact your local radio stations and/ or press, and make sure they know about the demo and the Guild's support. Just hand or e-mail them the WGGB's official statement, from our website, so we're all singing from the same hymn sheet. You can remind them that the Day of Solidarity is international, not just London-centric; and writers are everywhere, even in their own local area. You can wear a virtual red t-shirt!
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