Writers Guild of America West acknowledges ‘atrocities’ after refraining from statement on Israel-Hamas war
Some members are reportedly considering quitting the powerful union, which just ended a months-long strike
A view of the WGA West building in Los Angeles, Sept. 25, 2023. (Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images)
Editor’s note: On Tuesday, the Writers Guild of America West apologized for not making a statement following the events of Oct. 7, 2023 in Israel, in which Hamas terrorists killed over 1,400 Israelis. In an email to members provided to Deadline, WGA West President Meredith Stiehm, Vice President Michele Mulroney and Secretary-Treasurer Betsy Thomas acknowledged the “decision not to issue a statement on the events of October 7th has caused pain within our membership that we did not intend.” The message went on to explain that they had initially stayed quiet as they felt a statement “outside the purview of a U.S. labor union representing writers to comment on it,” and noted the many conflicts the Guild had not commented on, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Noting the diversity of opinion, the leaders said they were “humbled by the magnitude of this conflict,” but understood failing to speak out “has caused tremendous pain and for that we are truly sorry.”
“Guild leadership are horrified by the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th,” the message continued, calling the murder of innocents in Israel “an abomination” as they “deeply mourn the deaths of innocent Palestinians ensnared in the violence in Gaza.” The note ended by asking for members to treat each other with respect and patience and acknowledged the limitations of the union’s statement, saying what Israelis and Palestinians need “is not an expression of our anger and distrust toward each other, but a shared commitment to peace and the value of every human life.”
The original article, about the lack of consensus and outrage from some members, is below.
(JTA) — Writers Guild of America West, a branch of the screenwriters union that is fresh off of a months-long strike, has come under fire from many of its members over its refusal to issue a statement about the Israel-Hamas war.
After complaints about the lack of reaction, WGA West President Meredith Stiehm wrote an email to members on Friday.
“Like the membership itself, the board’s viewpoints are varied, and we found consensus out of reach,” she wrote. “For these reasons, we have decided not to comment publicly.”
WGA East shared a statement with its members that also avoided a response to the conflict but condemned antisemitism and Islamophobia, which have both been on the rise around the world since Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct. 7. The guild branch said that the fact that 40% of its members are journalists complicates how it can respond to world events.
“We in leadership agreed to move away from public statements that did not directly involve our Guild, our industries or the labor movement,” the note read. “Such statements hindered journalist members’ work and divided rather than united us.”
The note acknowledged that “this will strike some of you as inadequate.”
“We also realize that our own personal sentiments about the atrocities in Israel committed by Hamas on Oct. 7 and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza will not suffice,” it continued. “Representing a diversity of workers means our union is strong enough to hold many different views. However, we want to be clear: There is no place in this Guild — none at all — for antisemitism or Islamophobia.”
Before Stiehm’s email on Friday, a group of 75 WGA members held a Zoom meeting to discuss how to respond to the guild’s silence on the issue. The New York Times reported that some floated withholding dues or resigning from the guild altogether.
On Oct. 15, a large group of guild members signed onto a letter criticizing the union for not standing up for Israel after having stood up during past movements such as Black Lives Matter.
“When it comes to taking a stand, the Writers Guild of America has always led by example,” the letter read. “When employers sought to exploit our work, the Guild bravely spoke up. When the BLM movement took flight, the Guild rightfully spoke up. When the #MeToo reckoning came and Hollywood needed to change, again the Guild spoke up. But when terrorists invaded Israel to murder, rape, and kidnap Jews … the Guild stayed silent. It remains the only major Hollywood union to do so.”
Dozens of celebrities — ranging from Adam Sandler to Katy Perry to Jordan Peele — signed on a letter on Monday calling for President Joe Biden to continue to push for the release of all hostages taken captive by Hamas.
This article originally appeared on JTA.org.
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