The Writers Guild is taking a stand against Amazon’s “Prime Day” by renaming it “Crime Day” and using social media to send a message: “We won’t let Amazon turn Hollywood into a gig economy with its Silicon Valley business practices.” The guild, currently on its 68th day of strike, will also picket Amazon Culver City Studios on Wednesday.
According to the guild’s negotiating committee, “Big Tech companies like Amazon have taken advantage of changes in the industry business model to hollow out the middle class of our profession in pursuit of growing profits. With the rise of streaming, writers are asked to do more work in less time for less money.”
The guild’s contract demands aim to secure “reasonable protections that will guarantee that writing remains a sustainable career for current and future writers. For Amazon, the cost of our proposals is just $32 million per year, 0.006% of the conglomerate’s annual revenue.”
The negotiating committee accuses Amazon of using anticompetitive tactics to gain a foothold in the media industry and position itself as a new industry gatekeeper. They claim that Amazon’s actions disadvantage competitors, raise prices for consumers, and push down wages for writers. They also highlight that this issue extends beyond Hollywood, with Big Tech invading various industries and creating gig economies where sustainable careers once existed.
Wednesday’s picket will feature speakers from the WGA West, members of the guild, and a striking Amazon delivery driver.
FilmmakerFocus has reached out to Amazon Studios for comment and will update this article with their response.
