Tina Fey, David Simon call on MSNBC to end writers’ union logjam

Unionized writers for all of MSNBC’s packages received help Wednesday from Hollywood heavyweights of their stalled battle for a contract.

Tina Fey, David Simon, Adam McCay and Lily Wachowski had been amongst greater than 400 members of the Writers Guild of America that signed a petition despatched to the left-leaning community Wednesday, demanding the corporate deal with their colleagues “pretty” for the work they do.

In 2021, MSNBC staff voted to join the union, which reps roughly 300 workers who write and produce packages that embody “The Rachel Maddow Present,” Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski’s “Morning Joe” and Pleasure Reid’s “The Reid Out.”

Negotiations have languished for greater than a yr as they search pay raises and decry the lengthy hours.

“We name on administration to acknowledge the contributions of the Guild-represented staff at MSNBC by agreeing to a good contract that features the pay and protections they deserve,” the letter mentioned.

A spokesman for The Writers Guild of America East, the department that covers the MSNBC employees, mentioned there are a “variety of points” which are stalling negotiations, together with protections in opposition to overwork, which incorporates lengthy days, lengthy weeks and unpaid standby time.

He added that their isn’t ample pay for sure job titles, or raises and there usually are not “lifelike expectations about working from dwelling.”

The unionized employees additionally work on reveals that run on the Peacock streaming service, owned by NBC Common.

“They’re absolutely devoted to the necessary work they do for NBCU they usually should be paid – and handled – pretty,” the Writers Guild letter mentioned. “Once they work lengthy hours or lengthy weeks, after they work night time hours or stand by prepared to write down and produce on a second’s discover, after they carry out the duties of individuals at larger pay grades, they deserve further pay.”

The letter, was inked by a few of Tinseltown’s strongest scribes, like “30 Rock’s” Fey, “The Wire’s” David Simon, Lily Wachowski, the author and director of “The Matrix” franchise, and McCay, director and author of the political satire, “Don’t Look Up.”

Reps for MSNBC and NBCU didn’t return requests for remark.

Lowell Peterson, govt director of the Writers Guild of America, East added: “We’re proud to signify the individuals who write comedies, dramas, and information for NBCU.  We are going to hold combating on the bargaining desk for a contract that addresses the very actual wants and aspirations of our of us at MSNBC. We’re one union.”