Studios & WGA Union To Continue Talks Next Week After Days Of Talks
With the writer’s strike going past its one-hundredth day and the threat of the strike going into the Fall, this week, the Writer’s Guild Of America and the major studios have held talks for the last four days, with plans to continue negotiations next week.
The union and studios haven’t spoken for months, since the writers went on strike in May, but following the Screen Actors Guild’s decision to go on strike in July, this has led to filming and development on the major studio’s projects to come to a standstill. Under pressure from local politicians, wall street investors and the general public, there now seems to be some more haste for the studios to come to an agreement, as ideally, the studios want to settle this so they can get the content engine fired up once again to try to rescue the winter schedule.
The WGA put out a statement regarding the negotiations:
Dear Members,
Last Friday, 102 days after they walked away from the bargaining table and put us out on strike, the AMPTP offered responses to our proposals in all work areas. We met this week and continued to exchange proposals. We will continue to meet next week.
Thank you for the many messages of support and solidarity as we talk with the AMPTP. As always, be skeptical of rumors from third parties, knowing that the Guild will communicate when we think there is something of significance to report.
In solidarity,
WGA Negotiating Committee
Both sides have been negotiating all week, and according to Variety‘s sources, the executives are frustrated over the lack of progress but want to continue to try to make a deal. With more time being spent talking about specific issues, such as on Wednesday and Thursday, they were talking about how to regulate the use of Artificial intelligence, and they are believed to be making some progress on that issue. However, there are some obstacles they need to agree on.
It’s also being reported that the studio bosses are also now talking more regularly about the progress of negotiations, with the top executives coming together on Friday to agree on how to proceed with negotiations.
Earlier this week, the WGA issued a report that called out Disney, Amazon and Netflix for their power over the entertainment industry and called for some more restrictions on future mergers and more regulations to be in place for streaming services.
Due to the incoming Hurricane Hilary on the West Coast, the picket lines outside the studios on Monday have been cancelled to keep the writers and actors safe.
With the studios and writer’s union meeting more regularly, and with the studio heads also doing the same, hopefully, the two sides can come to an agreement soon so that the writers can return to work, with better conditions, better pay and better protection from AI. And then, the studios have to turn their attention to the actor’s union to sort out the other strike, for Hollywood to resume.
When do you think the writer’s strike will end? Let us know on social media!
Roger Palmer
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