What happens if comedians break writers strike rules?

Question:I know the strike is over, but i was just watching conan and he gave a few rules of the writers strike.
You cant use older props/sketches
you cant read written material including viewer submitted jokes
etc.
what would happen if a comedian broke these rules?
would the writers guild fine them? would they be sued by striking writers? would they pay fines to their networks?
I googled and didnt find much info on this.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I know the strike is over, but i was just watching conan and he gave a few rules of the writers strike.
You cant use older props/sketches
you cant read written material including viewer submitted jokes
etc.
what would happen if a comedian broke these rules?
would the writers guild fine them? would they be sued by striking writers? would they pay fines to their networks?
I googled and didnt find much info on this.

The guild can put you on trial and fine you and possibly suspend you.

If you are suspended it means signatories can't use you for work until you are off suspension.

Fines typically equal work payments (which means it can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, which they can possibly deduct from your residual payments if you don't pay them immediately by check)

The one above talked of Leno. If Leno got suspended for, say, six months, he couldn't go into a writer's meeting or suggest something for six months, nor could he come in with his own materials. He would be allowed to show up and do his script as an "actor." He couldn't re-write or change a word. Technically he couldn't tell a producer to change a line for him, but he could demand a re-write, but can't sepecify what or how. That would be left up to the writers and producers.

If he wrote monologues his fines could be $5,000 or $10,000 or even $20,000 for each episode. Since he makes millions that would be a drop in the bucket for him and NBC could pick it up for him, there is no rule against that.

If he's in the writer's guild and on six month suspension he couldn't "pencil in" changes on the cue cards himself nor tell someone what to pencil in.

He can, as the star or actor, DEMAND a line be changed, but can't specify to what, until he's off suspension.

He can omit or delete lines.

He can ad lib

Ad libbing is what he was supposed to do when the strike was on. He, as a member, wasn't supposed to "think" or "write" in advance

But as an actor and comic he could "make it up" as he went along, as long as he didn't use any "previously WGA" material or source material.

That includes uses non WGA outside jokes, as THOSE people get points for their work in "polishing" or "brushing" up scripts.

The contract allows producers to bring in NON WGA comics to serve as "joke writers" for a show (under a variety of loop holes), BUT, those writer's get "points" leading to WGA membership for their work.

NO points are allowed during the strike, which means non WGA writers and comics can be shunned if they worked on a show.

While non-WGA punch up artists can be paid anything, once they get enought points (24 I believe is the current minimum) and they join WGA they have to be paid "scale" for their contributions.

Once WGA finds out someone is writing for a show during a valid contract and they have done enough work for "points" in WGA membership they can demand the producers and the writer honor the contract and Taft-Hartley, which means the writer HAS to join the union if they want to keep working and keep selling to WGA signatories.

This is generally one feature script, two hour TV scripts, 3-4 half hour scripts and a variety of lesser work.

Leno could also ad lib quips at the union or even take them to task, so long as it's off the cuff, he would answer only to NBC for that. There is no union rule against desent.

The strike is over. Everyone is trying to get on with their lives and careers.

They would be fined by the Guild. (The striking writers or network would have no basis or need to sue them.)

Actually, the Guild is taking action against Leno for writing his monologues, which in essence means he crossed a picket line.