STRIKE! STRIIIIIKKKKE!

... ahem.

Craig Mazin --

FUCKING STRIKE YOU LUDDITE FUCKERS STRIKE!

-- Craig Mazin, as a very smart Guy Who Understands Contracts has put up a primer for newbie writers on our upcoming contract negotiations. How our union works, negotiates with the Studios, a quick explanation of the magnificently awful residuals deal we get, etc. I particularly like this part ...

Not much. We lose our protection against a lockout, and certain grievance provisions go away, but other than that, our 2004 contract remains in effect. The idea of working past the deadline is simple: we try and get closer to the expiration of the SAG contract (June 2008), and then we use their strike threat as leverage to get us both a good deal on internet downloads.

The danger of waiting?

The DGA could always leapfrog the WGA and SAG and make an early deal (which they did in 2004) ...

... what a nice way of saying the DGA screwed us. The man is nothing if not tactful. Then again, our fault for not nutting up when we should have.

My feelings aside, well worth the read.

My feelings not aside -- I could give shit that I'm now on the daily call sheet, and I have to be included in publicity. I don't want special-ed style gestures of respect, I want that goddam money that's in residuals, because frankly what's now defined as "residuals" are going to be the primary source of income for all writers from now on. A better "residuals" deal is well worth a long, multi-year strike. We should be behaving and planning, right now, for a multi-year strike. Start saving your pennies.