The Writers Guild of America is set to resume contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on Friday. This will be the first official negotiating session since the strike began on May 2.
In an email to its members, the WGA negotiating committee announced that AMPTP President Carol Lombardini has requested a meeting with the union negotiators. The committee is hopeful that the AMPTP will provide responses to their proposals and is prepared to make a fair deal on behalf of the unified WGA membership.
There has been no official statement from the AMPTP regarding the resumption of labor talks.
On Wednesday, the WGA reached a significant milestone, marking the 100th day of the strike, which is the same duration as their last strike in 2007-08.
Last Friday, WGA leaders held a meeting with representatives from the AMPTP to discuss the possibility of resuming negotiations. However, the two sides still remain far apart on key issues, such as success-based residuals for streaming content.
In a recent message to WGA members, negotiators mentioned that the studios are showing willingness to increase certain compensation levels and are open to discussing the use of artificial intelligence.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been keeping in constant communication with WGA officials and is optimistic that a resolution can be reached. She emphasized the importance of ending the strike promptly due to its significant impact on the entertainment industry and the economy as a whole.
The last WGA strike in 2007-08 cost the local economy an estimated $2 billion to $3 billion. The current strike is expected to have an even greater impact, as it is the first double-barreled strike in 63 years with the SAG-AFTRA actors union also joining the picket lines.
The WGA negotiating committee recently challenged the studios to offer writers a fair deal and abandon their “anti-union playbook.” The studios responded by calling the union’s rhetoric “unfortunate” and affirming their commitment to getting people back to work.
Despite suggestions that the stockpiles of content held by streaming services minimize the impact of the strike, the WGA negotiating committee condemned this misinformation and assured its members that the strike is having a significant effect.
The AMPTP was warned by the negotiating committee not to employ tactics from the 2007-08 strike, which involved spreading dissent through the media. The committee expressed its determination to not be swayed by such tactics.
The AMPTP issued a statement in response, stating that the discussion with the WGA was aimed at determining whether they have a willing bargaining partner and emphasizing their commitment to getting people back to work.
The WGA’s key demands include higher residual pay for streaming programs based on viewership, industry standards for the number of writers on each show, increased foreign streaming residuals, and regulations against the use of artificial intelligence to write or rewrite literary material.
The AMPTP has pushed back on some of these demands, particularly regarding mandatory staffing and employment guarantees, and argued that the WGA’s proposal for streaming residuals would result in a 200% increase in rates.
The issue of artificial intelligence has become a major topic of discussion. The WGA is calling for a ban on its use, claiming that the AMPTP has refused to negotiate on this issue. The AMPTP has acknowledged the importance of the topic but believes further discussion is necessary.
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