Scorch entered the dorm room and dumped her school bag on the floor. “I am so bored,” she whined, “there are no new Hollywood shows and movies to watch.”
“Is it because of the Hollywood writers’ strike? I have good news for you then, Scorch,” Verum said and Scorch looked up. “Last week, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) made a deal with the top studios of Hollywood and ended their strike.”
“Really? That’s great news! Were all their demands answered?” Scorch said.
“What are you two talking about?” Orak said. Felix looked equally confused.
“Let me start from the beginning,” Verum said. She explained, “Hollywood is the film industry of the United States. They make movies, short films, and TV shows. Many people work in this industry such as actors, directors, writers, etc.
In May, the writers of Hollywood went on a strike. These writers are a part of the Writers Guild of America. WGA is a group of 11,500 people who write TV shows and movies.
No shows or movies can be made without writers. This is why the film industry slowed down.”
“What’s a strike?” Felix said.
Verum said, “A strike is when a group of workers come together to protest against the employer. The workers agree to stop working as a way to get their employer to accept their demands.
The WGA went on strike against the Hollywood studios (companies that make TV shows and movies) to improve conditions for writers. The writers wanted better pay for their work. They also wanted the studios to hire more writers.”
“Well? Were their demands met?” Scorch asked again impatiently.
Verum nodded, “The WGA and the studios made a deal for three years. And with that, the five-month-long writers’ strike came to an end. It was the longest Hollywood strike in 70 years!”
“Hurray!” Scorch rejoiced.