Ephemera relating to the 1981 Writer's Guild of America Strike

N.p. N.p., 1981. Letter and strike rules distributed to members of the Writer's Guild of America West by executive director of the WGA, Leonard Chassman to television writer and producer Stephen T. Sustarsic II, dated April 10, 1981. With mailing envelope included.

The Writers Guild of America West formed in 1954 from a merge between the Screen Writers Guild and a number of other unions, also forming the Writer's Guild of America East. Since the formation of the WGAW and WGAE the two unions have jointly gone on strike seven times, including the most recent strike in 2023.

The unions went on strike three times in the 1980s—in 1981, 1985, and 1988, with 1988 being the longest of the three, at 22 weeks.

The 1981 strike began on April 11, 1981, lasting 13 weeks. The guild won new terms for television work, including switching residuals on reruns from a fixed rate to a percentage of the profits.

Letter, Very Good plus, printed on WGA West letterhead. Strike rules, Very Good plus, bound with a staple at the top left corner. WGA West Envelope, Very Good plus.

[Book #172356]