Writers have a right to strike, but by doing so they are making a statement that their services are valuable and they will refuse to render them until their terms are met. If television shows decide to no longer employ those writers and continue to broadcast successfully without them, then the initial claims of the writers are unfounded, indicating they are not as important as they would like to think. Eventually a compromise will be met between both parties based on a realistic assessment of their contributions to the operation as a whole, not on one-sided demands. Its a great example of the free market at work.