The Writers Guild of America recently made some significant decisions regarding the expulsion and discipline of certain members. The WGA board’s decision to expel Roma Roth and Edward Drake for engaging in “scab writing” during the 2023 strike was upheld by 54% of the voting membership. This decision came after the two writers appealed the initial expulsion.
Additionally, a public rebuke of writer Tim Doyle for a controversial joke made on Facebook was rescinded by a 62%-38% vote. Doyle had posted a morbid joke on the 100th day of the strike, which some interpreted as a reference to a lynching. He apologized for the joke, and the WGA members decided that the public censure was unwarranted.
Julie Bush, another writer accused of submitting a “scab script” to a non-signatory company during the strike, faced discipline as well. The members narrowly upheld the decision to suspend her for one year and bar her from serving as a strike captain for life. Bush expressed gratitude to the members who supported her and indicated that she plans to challenge the WGA’s actions through legal avenues.
Roth, who was a dual member of the WGA and the Writers Guild of Canada, was involved in the production of a show filmed in Nova Scotia. She argued that she did not violate any rules and criticized the WGA board for allegedly influencing the voting process to favor their decision.
Drake, on the other hand, directed an independent film during the strike and was accused of making unauthorized script changes. He defended his actions as minor revisions that did not fall under the WGA’s jurisdiction.
The WGA’s appeal process came under scrutiny, with Bush questioning the board’s authority to change the process without a constitutional amendment. The vote results for the disciplinary actions were as follows: Roth – 778-639 to expel, Drake – 769-652 to expel, Bush – 745-686 to suspend for one year, lifetime bar from serving as strike captain, and public censure, Doyle – 915-557 to overturn public censure.
These decisions have highlighted the complexities of enforcing rules and maintaining unity within the Writers Guild of America. The members’ votes have shaped the future operations of the WGA, and the writers involved have expressed their intentions to continue fighting for their rights within the organization.
