Since the writers strike began on May 2, scribes in Hollywood and New York City have taken to the streets outside major studios to picket, carrying with them homemade signs — some bearing scathing messages, while others draw on humor to get their point across.
But all communicate the grievances of the guild against producing arm AMPTP, including concerns over residuals from streaming services, staff numbers in writers room and increased use of AI in the industry.
“We didn’t immigrate here to be replaced by AI,” reads one particularly poignant sign. Another, drawing on the lyrics of Taylor Swift, proclaims: “It’s you, AMPTP. You’re the problem, it’s you!”
Then, on July 14, actors union SAG-AFTRA declared their own strike against AMPTP, marking the first simultaneous writers and actors strike since 1960. The actors are also demanding greater streaming residual earnings, regulation of self-tape auditions and measures to prevent AI from replacing actors on screen, or using their likeness without an actor’s permission.
Despite the actors joining the effort, little progress has been made in terms of discussions between the unions and AMPTP. On Friday, there was a meeting between the WGA and AMPTP, their first since the strike began. However, a date for new negotiations to begin has not yet been set. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Friday called for a resolution to the strikes, offering to get personally involved.
“The impact has spanned every corner of Los Angeles — from the writers and actors on the picket line trying to make ends meet to keep a roof over their head and food on the table, to businesses who rely on the entertainment industry,” Bass said.
Wednesday marks 100 days since the writers strike first started, and to commemorate the occasion, Variety has compiled below 100 of the best strike signs we’ve seen on the picket line. Also click here to see more of our favorite signs and click here to see more photos from the picket lines.
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Arianna Berkowitz walks the picket line on July 26 in L.A.
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Robert Sperry Fromm walks the picket line on July 26 in L.A.
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Stephen Todt walks the picket line on July 26 in L.A.
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Michelle Goldsborough walks the picket line on July 26 in L.A.
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Laney Serface walks the picket line on July 25 in L.A.
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Ana Carolina Valverde walks the picket line on July 25 in L.A.
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Picketers at NBCUniversal/30 Rock on July 20 in New York.
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Strikes march in front of Netflix and Warner Bros. on July 19 in New York.
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A sign is displayed during the picket line outside of Disney Studios in Burbank on July 18.
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People hold signs in support of the striking WGA members outside Warner Bros. Studio on July 17 in Burbank.
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Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan walk the picket line with striking WGA and SAG-AFTRA members on July 14 in New York.
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Signs during a “Striking 9 to 5” picket line in front of Netflix headquarters in Hollywood on June 29.
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Brian Posehn striking on June 27 in L.A.
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Actress Brandee Evans attends the Showrunners for Abortion Rights rally outside of Amazon Studios in Culver City on June 23.
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Robert Klein picketing on June 1 in New York.
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WGA members march on a picket line in front of Netflix offices on May 19 in New York.
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WGA members march on a picket line in front of Netflix offices on May 19 in New York.
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WGA members march on a picket line in front of Netflix offices on May 19 in New York.
Image Credit: Pacific Press/LightRocket via Ge -
WGA members march on a picket line in front of Netflix offices on March 19 in New York.
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Writers hold signs while picketing in front of Paramount Studios in L.A. on May 15.
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Writers hold signs while picketing in front of Paramount Studios in L.A. on May 15.
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Members of the WGA hold signs as they walk on the picket line outside of HBO and Amazon’s offices on May 10 in New York.
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WGA members march on a picket line in front of Silvercup Studios in Queens, New York, on May 4.
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WGA members march on a picket line in front of Silvercup Studios in Queens, New York, on May 4.
Image Credit: Pacific Press/LightRocket via Ge -
WGA members march on a picket line in front of Silvercup Studios in Queens, New York, on May 4.
Image Credit: Pacific Press/LightRocket via Ge -
WGA members march on a picket line in front of Silvercup Studios in Queens, New York, on May 4.
Image Credit: Pacific Press/LightRocket via Ge -
WGA members march on a picket line in front of Silvercup Studios in Queens, New York, on May 4.
Image Credit: Pacific Press/LightRocket via Ge -
WGA members march on a picket line in front of Silvercup Studios in Queens, New York, on May 4.
Image Credit: Pacific Press/LightRocket via Ge -
WGA East members hold signs as they walk the picket line outside of Netflix’s New York office on May 3.
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A participant seen protesting on May 10 in New York.
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A participant seen protesting on May 10 in New York.
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A participant seen protesting on May 10 in New York.
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Participants seen protesting on May 10 in New York.
Image Credit: LightRocket via Getty Images -
Participants seen protesting on May 10 in New York.
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Picketers strike in front of Radford Studios in L.A. on May 9.
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Picketers strike in front of Paramount Studios in L.A. on May 9.
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Signs from picketers in front of Radford Studios in L.A. on May 9.
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Writer Ilana Peña holds a sign on the picket line in front of Netflix in Hollywood on May 5.
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WGA members march on a picket line in front of Silvercup Studios in New York on May 4.
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A member of WGA participates in a march in front of Netflix in New York on May 19.
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SAG-AFTRA members join the picket line outside of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York on July 20.
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Members of SAG-AFTRA and WGA go on strike in front of Fox Studios on Aug. 1 in L.A.
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Members of SAG-AFTRA and WGA go on strike in front of Paramount Studios on Aug. 3 in L.A.
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WGA Members strike in front of Universal Studios in L.A. on June 30.
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WGA and SAG/AFTRA Members strike in front of Amazon in Culver City on July 31.
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WGA and SAG/AFTRA members strike in front of Netflix in Hollywood on July 31.
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Writers go on strike in front of the Peacock NewFront on May 2 in New York.
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Writers go On strike in front of the Peacock NewFront on May 2 in New York.
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Writers go on strike in front of the Peacock NewFront on May 2 in New York.
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Writers go On strike in front of the Peacock NewFront on May 2 in New York.
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Hollywood writers go on strike in dispute over payments for streaming services.
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Hollywood writers go on strike in dispute over payments for streaming services.
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People picket outside of Paramount Pictures in L.A. on May 4.
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People picket outside of Paramount Pictures in L.A. on May 4.
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People picket outside of Paramount Pictures in L.A. on May 4.
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People picket outside of Paramount Pictures in L.A. on May 4.
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People picket outside of NBCUniversal in New York on July 20.
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People picket outside of Disney in Burbank on July 20.
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People picket outside of Disney in Burbank on July 20.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 20 in Culver City.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 20 in Culver City.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 20 in Culver City.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 20 in Culver City.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Amazon Studios on July 20 in Culver City.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Netflix on July 20 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Paramount Studios on July 20 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Paramount Studios on July 20 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Paramount Studios on July 20 in L.A.
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Actors Charyse Monet, Craig Gilbo and Ola Ray picket at Sunset Gower Studios on July 20 in L.A.
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People picket outside of Disney in Burbank on July 21.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Warner Bros. Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Warner Bros. Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Disney Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Disney Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Disney Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Disney Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Disney Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Disney Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Disney Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Disney Studios on July 21 in Burbank.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Fox Studios on July 21 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Fox Studios on July 21 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Fox Studios on July 21 in L.A.
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Actresses Amanda Crew and Carly Pope join supporters walking the picket line at Fox Studios on July 21 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Fox Studios on July 21 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Fox Studios on July 21 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Fox Studios on July 21 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 21 in Culver City.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 21 in Culver City.
Image Credit: Getty Images -
Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 21 in Culver City.
Image Credit: Getty Images -
Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 21 in Culver City.
Image Credit: Getty Images -
Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 21 in Culver City.
Image Credit: Getty Images -
Supporters walk the picket line at Sony Pictures Studios on July 21 in Culver City.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Amazon Studios on July 21 in Culver City.
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Actor Timothy Olyphant and writer Victor Fresco join supporters walking the picket line at Amazon Studios on July 21 in Culver City.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Amazon Studios on July 21 in Culver City.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Netflix on July 19 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Netflix on July 19 in L.A.
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Supporters walk the picket line at NBCUniversal on July 20 in New York.
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Supporters walk the picket line at Warner Bros. Studios on July 19 in Burbank.
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