Im in the Writers Guild of America, and Im also in the Directors Guild of America.
Im one of those so-called multi-hyphenates.
Ive helped out with strikes.
Boots Riley. Photo by Angela Treviño, Courtesy of Boots RileyAngela Treviño
Ive worked in factories and distribution centers and been a Teamster.
But this is the first time Ive actually been on strike myself.
But it wasnt, it was a really hard thing to process.
No part of me thought that I wasnt going to do the right thing.
This solidarity isnt coming out of nowhere.
Were at a new juncture.
People are using their power to reimagine power relations.
A strike, or the viable threat of one, is the only thing that gives a union power.
Were gonna be able to monitor your every move now.
Fuck you, write a think piece.
It ends up being one more sentence in an argument that makes the average person feel powerless.
I dont care if the lines look interesting.
But here we have the only thing that could possibly regulate the use of technology- the withholding of labor.
And were doing it at a time when its actually possible to win.
This is why you have so many people willing to shut things down, even at personal cost.
Its what brought me back to earth during that aforementioned second thought.
Were a bunch of storytellers and were telling a story now in real life.
Could be the best ending you ever write.
