You might notice some interruptions to your regularly scheduled TV viewing in the next couple of weeks… That’s because thousands of screenwriters are on strike in Hollywood from today, fighting for greater worker pay/conditions in the wake of the huge disruption created by the streaming services. The Writers Guild of America (WGA), which represents 20,000 US members, is behind the first strike since 2007-2008, when writers downed tools for 100 days at a cost of US$2 billion to California’s economy. Discussions between the union and the major studios have been going on for 6 weeks, but it’s come to naught. “The companies’ behaviour has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing,” the WGA said. So if you’re a fan of Saturday Night Live or The Bold and the Beautiful, you might want to get across this good breakdown of what the strike means for you…