Adam McKay, Tina Fey and David Simon among 400+ writers urging MSNBC to strike a “fair deal” with WGA East for network newsroom staff

In a show of solidarity, more than 400 film and TV writers — including Adam McKay, David Simon, Tina Fey, Alfonso Cuarón, Lily Wachowski, John Waters and Alan Zwiebel — have signed a petition calling on MSNBC to discuss a fairer debut on the cable news network. Agreement with WGA East for news writers and producers.

The petition comes after MSNBC last month laid off 30 of the 300 guild members employed there — a move the guild said it was “deeply disappointed and dismayed at.” See the petition and its full list of signatories here.

“We are members of the Writers Guild of America who write and produce scripted programs for NBCU and other studios,” reads the petition, signed “In Solidarity.” “We support our fellow guild-represented writers and producers at MSNBC who have been fighting for more than a year to win a reasonable first contract. They are fully dedicated to the important work they do for NBCU and deserve to be paid – and treated – fairly.

“When they work long hours or long weeks, when they work night hours or are ready to write and produce at a moment’s notice, when they are responsible for people in higher pay grades, they deserve extra pay.

“Our colleagues are fighting for what we all need – meaningful protections set forth in a collective bargaining agreement. We call on management to agree to a fair contract recognizing the contributions of guild-represented workers at MSNBC that includes the pay and protections they deserve. remains.”

Lowell Peterson, executive director of WGA East, said: “We are proud to represent the people who write comedy, drama and news for NBCU. We will continue to fight at the bargaining table for an agreement that addresses the very real needs and desires of our people at MSNBC. We are one union.”