WGA Members Uphold Vote to Expel Two Members for Strike Violations, but Rescind Censure Over Facebook Joke

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As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I’d put it this way: “In my world of cinema, the members of the Writers Guild of America decided to stand firm on expelling two writers who were caught writing during the 2023 strike. However, they chose to soften their stance towards a writer who made a humorous remark on Facebook, rescinding their public rebuke.

Earlier this year, the WGA board expelled Roma Roth and Edward Drake for providing prohibited “writing services,” which the union refers to as “scab writing.” They attempted an appeal, but 54% of the union members voted in favor of the board’s decision following a vote that ended on Friday.

By a margin of 62% to 38%, the members chose not to impose public reprimand on Tim Doyle, who was accused of behavior detrimental to the Guild’s well-being due to his inappropriate joke. On the one hundredth day of the strike, Doyle shared a picture depicting a man hanging from a tree, an image intended as a dark humor reference to suicide.

(This version maintains the original’s information but uses simpler language and a more conversational tone.)

Doyle expressed regret over his joke, which sparked controversy as it seemed to allude to lynching. This incident stirred up some unease within the WGA about whether they were being too strict in monitoring their members’ expressions.

Doyle expressed in a message on Friday that it would be beneficial if the Writers Guild of America (WGA) spread this announcement within the industry. He also hoped that the guild might take steps to correct some of the negative impact from the past 18 months, which seems to have unfairly labeled him as racist.

The group narrowly decided to enforce disciplinary action against Julie Bush, an author who allegedly sent a “strikebreaking script” to a company not participating in the strike. As a result, Bush received a one-year ban and was permanently prohibited from holding the position of strike leader. In a 52% to 48% vote, the members rejected her appeal for reconsideration.

Bush expressed his sincere appreciation towards those who cast their votes for him, stating, ‘I take this narrow victory as a sign that the members are unhappy with recent events.’ He further explained, ‘This election result, with only a five-point difference and a vote tally below 90%, is significant to me as I have never witnessed a Guild vote so closely contested.’

She stated her intention to persist in challenging the legality of the WGA’s actions. “Next, we will approach the Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board.

Roth served as executive producer for the Canadian-produced series “Sullivan’s Crossing,” filmed in Nova Scotia under the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) jurisdiction. As a member of both the WGA and the WGC, she worked under an exception that permitted WGA writers to work for non-affiliated companies in specific situations. However, this exemption was withdrawn during the strike, which theoretically should have barred her from scriptwriting on the show. Roth contended that she merely oversaw the writers’ room and did not breach any rules. Additionally, she asserted that according to their constitution, a violation would incur a fine rather than expulsion.

On Friday, Roth expressed her disappointment that WGA board members opted to distribute numerous emails during the voting period, potentially swaying the balance and unfairly impacting what was intended to be an impartial appeal process.

She stated that this outcome is certain to influence how the WGA and its board function in the future. She encourages members to apply for the WGA Board by May 15th, as it’s crucial to tackle these significant matters head-on.

Drake penned and orchestrated an independent movie titled “Guns Up,” production of which took place during a strike. He faced allegations for inappropriately altering the screenplay while filming, as well as for failing to disclose a non-guild member who purportedly rewrote the climax. However, he contended that he merely made minor script adjustments, which fall outside the WGA’s authority.

Inquired about a reaction to the vote, Drake shared a YouTube video featuring the closing scene from an iconic movie: “Forget about it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” (This version maintains the essence of the original while making it more accessible and conversational.)

According to our guild’s charter, authors have the right to contest any disciplinary action brought against them by presenting their case to the entire membership during our yearly gathering. However, since no such gathering has taken place in the last six years, the board opted for a digital vote as an alternative solution instead.

Bush has voiced opposition to the procedure, contending that the board lacked the power to alter the appeals process without a revision to the constitution.

In raw vote terms, the vote was as follows:

Roth: Drake will be asked to leave with the number 778-639.
Expel: 769-652 is the code for Drake’s dismissal.
Bush: A one-year suspension and a lifetime ban from becoming strike captain, along with public reprimand, are being considered for him. This translates to 745-686 in our system.
Doyle: The proposed action for the case number 915-557 is to reverse the public censure.

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2025-05-10 04:28