Next week, striking writers and Hollywood studios are anticipated to come back to the negotiating table with the hope of ending the work stoppage that started in early May.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which is representing the studios, acknowledged that the Writers Guild of America (WGA) reached out on Wednesday and requested a meeting to push the negotiations forward. “We have agreed and are working on scheduling a meeting next week,” stated the AMPTP. They also expressed the commitment and eagerness of every member company to reach a fair deal and collaborate with the WGA to resolve the strike.
The WGA responded with a statement on Thursday, saying that they are currently in the process of scheduling a meeting with the AMPTP. It is believed that the two sides have not met at the bargaining table since mid-August.
Last week, with negotiations seemingly at a standstill, the WGA negotiating team released a statement suggesting that some traditional Hollywood studios should break away from the AMPTP and directly negotiate a deal with the writers’ union. The WGA indicated that they have had discussions with certain studio executives who believe a swift agreement is possible.
“So, while the AMPTP’s intransigence is impeding progress, these behind-the-scenes conversations demonstrate that there is a fair deal to be made which addresses our concerns,” stated the WGA negotiating team. They further emphasized their willingness to negotiate with one or more major studios outside of the AMPTP to establish a new deal for the WGA.
“There is no requirement for the companies to negotiate through the AMPTP. So, if the potential economic instability of their own companies is not sufficient to prompt a studio or two or three to prioritize their own interests within the AMPTP or break away from the flawed AMPTP model, perhaps Wall Street will finally push them to do so,” the statement continued.
However, the AMPTP countered with their own statement, asserting that all their member companies are committed to working within the alliance to reach a comprehensive agreement for all studios.
“The AMPTP member companies are united and negotiating collectively towards a resolution,” declared the alliance. “Any suggestion otherwise is untrue. Every member company wants a fair deal for writers and actors and an end to the strikes, which have impacted not only our colleagues in the writing and acting community, but also thousands of others in the industry. That is why the AMPTP has continuously presented offers addressing the WGA’s major priorities, including the most recent offers on August 17th and 18th.”
The strike by writers, which began on May 2nd, was joined by the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union in July. No known contract talks have taken place between the studios and SAG-AFTRA since the start of the actors’ strike.
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