Sesame Workshop Writers Authorize Strike, Could Picket NYC Offices

NEW YORK CITY — Sesame Street's word of the day is: strike.

Or at could be starting April 24, after Sesame Workshop writers unanimously voted Tuesday to authorize a potential strike, union officials said.

Writers will start picketing the Workshop's offices along Sesame Street — as the intersection of West 63rd Street and Broadway is officially named — if a deal isn't struck with management, officials said.

"No one wants to see a picket line on Sesame Street," said Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, president of Writers Guild of America East, one of two unions that represent writers.

A Sesame Workshop spokesperson told Patch that management is hopeful an agreement can be reached before Friday, when the writers' contract ends.

"Our writers are integral members of our creative team, and we are engaged in good faith negotiations with the WGA," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"We're still hopeful that we'll come to an agreement in advance of the expiration."

The Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit behind the iconic children's television show "Sesame Street," in addition to other shows and projects across the world.

A 35-member writers' bargaining unit began negotiating with Workshop management in February for industry standard annual raises, improvements to residuals and union coverage for animation and social media segments, officials said.

"Our demands would be extremely meaningful for the affected writers, particularly those in animation who are currently being excluded from basic union benefits and protections like pension and healthcare," a statement fro the bargaining committee states.

"We hope for a speedy and amicable resolution to these negotiations so that we can continue to do the work of helping the next generation grow smarter, stronger and kinder."