The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is a labor union whose members write content for motion pictures, television productions, news and online media. On May 2, the WGA went on strike after months of tense negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The last time the guild felt compelled to strike was over 15 years ago, and it is unlikely that the current disagreement will be resolved anytime soon. Meanwhile, picket lines have appeared on both coasts daily, and several local television shows in the five boroughs have shut down as a result. 

Warren Leight, a noted New York writer, producer, showrunner and ‘strike captain’ (“Law & Order: SVU and “In Treatment”), has been helping to lead the charge on behalf of the WGA East. He joined Errol Louis to explain why the strike, as difficult as it may be on the writers, is completely necessary. They also talked about how streaming continues to change the way writers need to be paid, what a traditional writers’ room is really like and the effect artificial intelligence may ultimately have on the industry. 

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