News
International Day of Solidarity
Dec 10, 2007, 2:04pm

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY

The Australian Writers’ Guild held rallies around Australia to mark the International Day of Solidarity on Wednesday, 28 November 2007.

AWG members and their supporters gathered in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney in support of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike.

You can go to YouTube to view highlights of the Rallies in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane

www.youtube.com

THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA IS STRIKING BECAUSE:

• The conglomerates won’t negotiate a fair deal on internet content and currently writers get paid ZERO for reuse of their material for online streaming;
• The WGA wants only 2.5 cents from every dollar made when re-using writers’ work on the internet. The conglomerates are offering NOTHING for streaming and 0.3 percent (1/3 of a cent per dollar) for downloads;
• The conglomerates are telling Wall Street that internet revenue is exploding. Estimated corporate revenue from digital downloads in the next two years is $US1BILLION. Estimated corporate revenue from digital streaming in the next two years is $US3BILLION.

WHY THE AUSTRALIAN WRITERS' GUILD SUPPORTS THE US STRIKE ACTION?

• To show our solidarity with creators around the world to ensure they get fair and proper compensation for their work;
• The business models set by the conglomerates will be used to determine the rights of Australian writers, actors and directors to internet and new media revenue locally;
• As the Australian screen industry undergoes its biggest overhaul in decades - including the formation of Screen Australia and the new Producers Rebate - it is time for Australian writers, actors and directors to stand up for what’s important for the future prosperity of their careers. A large part of our future lies in new media and online delivery platforms.

The fight now taking place in the U.S. is a fight for screenwriters across the globe! Demonstrations also took place in Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Mexico and France.

For updates on Writers’ Guild of America on strike go to www.wgaw.org

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AWG President Tim Pye and AWG Supporters

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AWG Members Jan Sardi and Craig Pearce

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AWG Supporters Gather in Sydney Square

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AWG Support

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Craig Pearce Addresses the Rally

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