Writers Strike: Dozens Picket At LIC's Silvercup Studios

LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Writers picketed in front of one of the East Coast's leading film and television studios, located in Long Island City, on Monday to demand higher wages and more transparency from streamers as part of the strike taking place in Los Angeles and New York City.

Screenwriters represented by the Writers Guild of America picketed at Silvercup Studios, home to shows like "And Just Like That..." and "Only Murders in the Building," after the union voted unanimously to call a strike last week.

The strike stems from the negotiation woes between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Writers are demanding higher wages, better residuals for streaming, and staffing minimums for projects.

The union was attempting to negotiate with Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Sony, which all fall under the AMPTP.

"The companies’ behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce," reads a statement from the union. "From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a 'day rate' in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession."

On Monday, writers convened at Silvercup East at 34-02 Starr Ave. and the studios located at 42-22 22nd St., joined by Council Member Julie Won.