Abstract

Scenario for a Tame Union?

The members of the Writers Guild of America approved a new contract after a two-week strike and greater internal conflict than the union had experienced in more than twenty years. The contract signaled a major shift in the organization's politics, as a moderate minority repudiated the guild leadership's vigorous pursuit of a significant share of revenues from the burgeoning videocassette market. Throughout most of the union's history, its members were united in a struggle for respect and recognition, despite income differences. Unlike authors and playwrights, most screenwriters do not retain copyright privileges once they have sold their work. Their rights over their creations are usually specified in the contracts they negotiate with the studios.