The last WGA strike, which lasted from November 2007 to February 2008, was estimated to have cost the local economy between $2 billion and $3 billion.
The WGA negotiating committee praised writers' resolve and blasted suggestions the walkout was having limited impact on studios due to content stockpiles held by streaming services, and that a protracted strike might be "good for the companies financially" because they can "write off their losses." "We won't prejudge what's to come. But playbooks die hard," according to the WGA statement. "So far, the companies have wasted months on their same failed strategy. They have attempted, time and time again, through anonymous quotes in the media, to use scare tactics, rumors and lies to weaken our resolve."
The WGA is pushing for improvements on a variety of fronts, notably for higher residual pay for streaming programs that have larger viewership, rather than the existing model that pays a standard rate regardless of a show's success.