VOA文化艺术2023--Actors and Writers in US Begin Second Week of Joint Strike

Actors and Writers in US Begin Second Week of Joint¹ Strike

A combined strike by Hollywood actors and screenwriters is entering its second week with no sign of an end to the labor² action.

For a week, actors including Tina Fey, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Rosario Dawson, David Duchovny and other stars have joined working class performers and writers on picket³ lines. They are protesting outside studios and corporate⁴ offices of streaming companies Amazon, MAX and Netflix.

The famous actors' appearance on picket lines has provided additional star power and voices on issues central to both groups — better pay and protection from the use of artificial intelligence. About 65,000 actors — the large majority of whom do not make enough from acting⁵ to qualify for health care benefits through their union — along with 11,500 screenwriters, are on strike.

While many of the picket lines are in Los Angeles and New York, film and television production happens throughout the country. Boston, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Chicago, Illinois were among the major cities with strike events Tuesday and Wednesday. Later Friday, actors in Britain's capital, London, held an event in solidarity⁶ with the American workers.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers represents the studios and streaming companies. The group has said it offered both writers and actors substantial pay increases and have tried to meet other demands.

Many on the picket lines have seized upon comments by their corporate bosses like Disney CEO Bob Iger, who last week called the workers' demands "not realistic."

During an earnings⁷ event Wednesday, Netflix co-leader Ted⁸ Sarandos said he grew up in a union household and knows how difficult strikes are for workers.

"We're super committed to getting to an agreement as soon as possible. One that's equitable⁹ and one that enables the unions, the industry and everybody in it to move forward into the future," he said.

Actor-writer Seth Green said streaming, which became a main media supplier during the pandemic, has hurt the livelihoods¹⁰ of those striking.

"It all got broken. I mean, it sounds silly to say, but it's really as simple as that," Green said, speaking outside Paramount¹¹ Studios in Hollywood Thursday. Traditional entertainment contracts used to pay actors and writers throughout the long lifespan of successful shows and movies. But no longer, he said.

"If the company that owned the thing made a billion dollars, you'd get like a little bit of money from that."

"All of that," Green said, "is gone."

Words in This Story

picket line – n. a line of people protesting a business, organization, or institution

streaming – n. a service for television shows and movies that is available continuously over the internet

benefit – n. a good thing

commit – v. to pledge or assign to some particular course or use

equitable – adj. being fair or just

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 picket   

n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫

参考例句：

• They marched to the factory and formed a picket.他们向工厂前进,并组成了纠察队。
• Some of the union members did not want to picket.工会的一些会员不想担任罢工纠察员。

4 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

7 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

8 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

9 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

10 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

11 paramount   

a.最重要的，最高权力的

参考例句：

• My paramount object is to save the Union and destroy slavery.我的最高目标是拯救美国，摧毁奴隶制度。
• Nitrogen is of paramount importance to life on earth.氮对地球上的生命至关重要。