Could The End Of The Writer's Strike Be Near? AMPTP And WGA Have Had Their First Meeting Since The Strike Started
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The Writer’s Guild of America had a bit of hope when the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers agreed to meet with the striking writers on Friday, August 4. The writer’s guild has been on strike since May 2 seeking higher residual payments to reflect the shift to streaming and protection from AI technology. While the AMPTP’s gesture was welcome, the WGA proceeded with caution. Former WGA President Ron Howard explained, “One hopes that the AMPTP may at long last grasp that the cost of negotiating a fair deal is less than the cost of an ongoing strike. But Friday’s conversation is, quite simply, a single and very preliminary step.”
Before the meeting on Friday, the WGA challenged the AMPTP to bring a new playbook, “Be willing to make a fair deal and begin to repair the damage your strikes and your business practices have caused the workers in this industry.” The AMPTP replied that the meeting was meant to test whether the WGA was a willing bargaining partner. They called the strikes harmful to thousands of workers and claimed their only goal was to get people back to work.
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AMPTP president Carol Lombardini and staffers met with WGA West assistant executive director and chief negotiator Ellen Strutzel and general counsel Tony Segall. However, at the end of the day, the meeting appeared to be fruitless since the guild and the studios are no closer to reaching a mutually acceptable agreement. The WGA told its members that they are committed to securing them a fair deal, “Your committee remains willing to engage with the companies and resume negotiations in good faith to make a fair deal for all writers, even with this early confirmation that the AMPTP playbook continues. But rest assured, this committee does not intend to leave anyone behind, or make merely an incremental deal to conclude this strike.” Both sides are currently evaluating the situation to figure out the next step.
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Source(s): The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times
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