Representatives of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Hollywood studios met on Friday to discuss the possibility of resuming labor talks, hoping to end the three-month work stoppage that has severely impacted production.
However, sources close to the negotiations, who were not authorized to comment, told the Los Angeles Times that the meeting did not go well and little progress was made in resolving the differences between the two sides.
After the session, both sides agreed to evaluate their options before potentially resuming talks, according to The Times. It remains unclear when or if negotiations will continue.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the body representing studios in the contract negotiations, and the WGA declined to comment.
On Friday, thousands of striking writers and actors from SAG-AFTRA gathered in the North Hollywood/Studio City area for a massive picket outside Universal Studios, temporarily shutting down traffic on Lankershim Boulevard. There were no reports of arrests or disturbances during the picket line.
The WGA announced that it had been contacted by the AMPTP and a meeting was scheduled for Friday to discuss a possible resumption of talks, which have been on hold since May 2. However, as of late Friday afternoon, there was no update from either side regarding the meeting.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement urging a full resumption of contract talks to reach a “fair and equitable” resolution in order to alleviate the negative impacts of the strikes on the economy and community members.
Governor Gavin Newsom has also expressed willingness to get involved in the discussions, although it is uncertain if Newsom or Bass will be invited to help facilitate a deal.
Yesterday, the WGA negotiating committee sent an email to its members challenging studios to abandon their “anti-union playbook” and come prepared to offer a fair deal. Studios responded by calling the union’s rhetoric “unfortunate” and emphasizing their only goal is to get people back to work.
In its message to union members, the WGA negotiating committee praised writers’ resilience and refuted claims that the strike has had limited impact due to content stockpiles held by streaming services. They also dismissed suggestions that a protracted strike would benefit the companies financially.
The committee warned the AMPTP not to repeat the tactics used during the 2007-08 writers strike, which the union alleges involved attempts to “spread dissent” through the media.
The AMPTP issued a statement expressing their hope to determine whether the WGA is a willing bargaining partner. They emphasized that the strike has harmed many people in the industry and reiterated their focus on getting people back to work.
The ongoing labor stalemate has cast a shadow over Friday’s meeting, which some saw as a potential breakthrough in resolving the strike that has halted most studio production.
The WGA is advocating for various improvements, including higher residual pay for streaming programs based on viewership, industry standards for the number of writers assigned to each show, increases in foreign streaming residuals, and regulations to prevent the use of artificial intelligence in writing or rewriting literary material.
On the other hand, the AMPTP has pushed back against some of the WGA’s demands, particularly around mandatory staffing and employment guarantees on programs, as well as the proposed increase in streaming residuals. They claim that the WGA’s offer would result in a 200% increase in rates.
The use of artificial intelligence has emerged as a major point of contention. The WGA wants to ban its use, but the AMPTP argues that it raises significant creative and legal questions that require further discussion.
Furthermore, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors, joined the Writers Guild of America in going on strike on July 14. This double-barreled strike marks the first time in 63 years that both unions have simultaneously walked off the job.
The SAG-AFTRA negotiating team has listed core demands including general wage increases, protections against the use of actor images through artificial intelligence, compensation boosts for successful streaming programs, and improvements in health and retirement benefits.
Last month, the AMPTP accused SAG-AFTRA of disregarding a contract offer valued at over $1 billion. SAG-AFTRA officials have contested the nature of that offer.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
