Thousands of writers in the entertainment industry are walking away from their computer screens and joining picket lines.

Members of the Writers Guild of America are on strike after the union failed to reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

The president of the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission says the strike is not expected to affect local productions right now, since most films are already written. But he thinks if negotiations drag on, the strike will affect TV production, which Western New York is trying to attract.

“I do think that though people will be scratching their heads because there will be an awful amount of reruns and an awful amount of people out of work especially in the big cities where these shows are shot,” Tim Clark said.

The union says its seeking higher pay and more writers per show. Contracts for both the Writer’s Guild and the Actor’s Union are set to expire next month.