New Delhi, Feb. 18 -- Staff members of the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) have gone on strike weeks before crucial contract negotiations with Hollywood studios, escalating tensions within one of the entertainment industry's most influential labour organisations.

The walkout, organised by the Writers Guild Staff Union (WGSU), comes at a sensitive moment as the guild prepares for upcoming discussions with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

In a statement announcing the action, the union accused guild management of engaging in unfair labour practices, alleging retaliation against workers involved in union activity and a failure to negotiate meaningfully over workplace concerns.

"The Writers Guild Staff ...