As the WGA strike stretches past the two-month mark, the industry reckoning has bumped up against another work stoppage: summer vacation.
This time of year has long been the season of out-of-office replies, as insiders clear schedules en masse and set off on extended trips, taking advantage of school breaks and the July 4th holiday. (In the pre-streaming era, it also traditionally coincided with hiatus season for network TV.) But a curious trend has emerged amid the strike as more people say they’re paying close attention to who’s going where, for how long, and how much they’re sharing on social media. As writers picket and fight for fair compensation, overt displays of R&R in far-flung locales are increasingly seen as insensitive, as well as a breach of solidarity.
While guild members have a long list of proposals in play, one core demand is ability for writers to earn a living wage. Early and mid-career writers say they’re having a tough time making ends meet so seeing industry pros on vacations — whether it be a luxurious getaway to St. Bart’s or a cruise down the Amalfi Coast — can inspire a range of emotions from jealousy to rage. It can also be yet another reminder of one’s place in the Hollywood pecking order.
“I have been shocked by what I’ve seen people posting,” says one literary manager, calling out the wife of a studio chief who continues to post from multiple summer trips. “It feels very tone deaf. If I were a writer who is on strike or an actor that could be on strike, I would be very offended. Like are you fucking serious? You shouldn’t begrudge someone taking a vacation, but you have to consider the time we’re living in right now.”
The work stoppage has led many in the industry to comb over bank statements and adjust accordingly by creating budgets and cutting back the remainder of 2023. For some, especially writers and those who represent them, that has meant skipping a trip to the Four Seasons Maui and instead taking a weekend trip to Palm Springs or Cabo. One source, who wished to remain anonymous, said she’s hearing from colleagues who are canceling trips altogether while they focus on bills and tuition expenses.
One veteran manager said he’s noticed a shift. “I am noticing less flashy posting on social media from these big glamorous trips, especially from agents who are typically the biggest show-offs,” he said. “They are being surprisingly low-key. It’s a personal choice: How much do you want to lean into what’s happening, play it down and be conservative with your spending, or do you give the impression that everything is OK, life goes on and it’s business as usual?”
The rep said that they are going on a trip that was pre-paid months ago, and they plan to post from the getaway. “It’s my only summer vacation,” the source continued. “I also don’t want to give the impression that I’m freaking out about my finances. But let’s be clear, I’m not David Zaslav partying at the Hotel Du Cap. I’m not at that level. I’m not going to be shy about my annual summer vacation with my kid.”
The manager added that they were sensitive to the plight of fledgling writers, some of whom have been forced to turn to gig employment like Uber Eats or Postmates in order to make rent. “Younger writers are really feeling the pain, and they would be most hurt by seeing big, glamorous vacations. But the majority of the people who can afford those, live in such a bubble that they may not realize the optics. I don’t think Greg Berlanti is canceling his summer trip.”
Some industry multihyphenates, like Issa Rae, a writer, actor, producer, showrunner and mini mogul, have been forced to navigate the fraught times as members of multiple unions. As a result, Rae is engaging her peers to gauge what’s best, and that includes vacations. “I’ve gone to the picket lines [for the WGA strike], and I’m also a SAG member, so I’m just playing it by ear and trying to be as respectful as possible while doing so,” explains Rae, who added that she’s had some trips planned during this time which also includes a potential SAG-AFTRA strike. At the time of publication, the union was inching closer to the expiration of its current TV and film contracts Friday night. “It’s a complicated line to toe given that I do wear a few hats. I’m having constant conversations with other actors and producers about what’s acceptable. I’m trying to be the best union member that I can be.”
Another veteran industry professional says that he’s not altering his behavior, but he is altering how much of his vacation he will share as a way to be mindful of the times. “It comes down to personal taste level. Am I going to be posting photos from 55 in St. Tropez? No, I’m not going to be doing that. The overarching rule for me is discretion. People are out of jobs. This is a challenging moment for a lot of people. But given the business I’ve built and the people that I deal with, there’s enough mutual respect there that we all know that we need to care for our lives and care for ourselves.”
The source also said that the people “who overshare are going to continue to overshare,” but the ones who will be facing the most scrutiny are studio executives. “This is just the latest iteration of Hollywood’s shifting power dynamics, and studio folks are the most under the microscope,” the source explained. “But if you work your ass off all year and want to be able to share a memory from a beautiful place that you may never see again, you should do it. The bigger question is, when can we all get back to work? I don’t think anybody is going to be getting [Jennifer Salke] or [Dana Walden] off their boats by the end of August to figure this out.”
Jeffrey Lieber, a showrunner for more than half a dozen series over a 25-year career, tells The Hollywood Reporter, “I, personally, am not paying attention to who is where. I’d like agents and executives to check in with us, and many have, but they aren’t the issue, and they can’t solve this.” Lieber continued: “Everyone knew this was going to take time. The AMPTP signaled that when they chose not to even engage on the most crucial issues. So, I think we’re all conscious about being present while understanding that life must go on. We’re on the line when we’re in N.Y., L.A., Chicago, and when we can’t be on the line, we’re online trying to explain what we’re fighting for. So, we’ll all come and go until the AMPTP decides to come back to the table and do what they’ve had the power to do this whole time, which is work this out.”
The WGA went on strike at 12:01 a.m. on May 2, and within days, restaurants, bars and coffee shops promoted deals and discounts for striking writers. As the strike has stretched on, so has the list of vendors that now includes apparel, beauty, electronics, entertainment, fitness and wellness, publications, services and venues. Now that it’s summer, one luxury resort is offering a vacation discount specifically for scribes. Viceroy Los Cabos is offering a 30 percent discount off the resort’s “most flexible rate” category of rooms (promo code: WRITER) as a type of “Writers’ Rate” special. It’s also not tied to the length of the strike as it will remain valid through Dec. 15.
Taking time off should be encouraged rather than frowned upon, says veteran showrunner Krista Vernoff (Grey’s Anatomy). “The Writers Guild is not a corporation. As such, the Writers Guild supports the whole human being, and this strike is about our humanity and our ability to support ourselves and our lives,” she explained to THR while attending a WGA rally outside Amazon Studios recently. “The Writers Guild also supports people taking breaks when they need them and resting when they need rest.”
Vernoff said there are so many ways to continue to participate in the WGA strike while on breaks, from phone or text banking to email outreach. “The politics of vacationing on a strike? I don’t even know that I subscribe to that notion because what I do know for sure is that every writer is doing their part to support this effort and because everyone understands that it’s life or death for the Writers Guild, the WGA is allowing us and encouraging us to take care of our own health and that of our families.”
It’s unclear how many writers are availing themselves of that luxury. “The picket numbers are not dropping, and people are still out every day in their sun hats, sneakers and with signs. The support is overwhelming,” reveals a small-screen veteran attending the same rally as Vernoff. “I’ve been a TV writer for 20 years, and I’ve never had a summer vacation,” said the scribe. “Summer is typically the hardest I ever work. I know executives do, but writers never go on vacation. You can ask my family.”
Another writer said the notion that anyone is patrolling social media to keep tabs on how others vacation is nonsense. “We’re on our feet. We’re here on the picket lines. We’re showing up. If somebody needs to take a break for a week, we got you. And we’re not working right now, so we’re not looking to spend any money, we’re only looking to support one another through this.”
That same writer also said she knows of WGA members who are going to New York or London this summer and while on the ground in those cities, they plan to hit the picket lines. Others, she added, are simply staying put: “People are cutting back and pausing their summer plans to save money.”
Some writers who do have the luxury of getting away are atoning by putting extra hours into the fight. Marta Kauffman, co-creator of Friends and the recent Grace and Frankie, is heading to Mexico for a week. “I have been out picketing as many days as humanly possible to make up for the week that I will be away,” she explained to THR. “I’m going to the beach with my family, and it’s really close by. People do need rest and a break, and it’s important to step away sometimes in order to come back with energy to be reinvigorated to jump back in the line. So, while I am going on vacation, I do feel guilty about it, but I know I need it.”
