The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and representatives of Hollywood studios held their first negotiating session in over 100 days since the strike began on May 2. While specific details of the meeting were not disclosed, the WGA informed its members that the studios had offered a counterproposal to the union’s demands.
The WGA’s negotiating committee stated that they would evaluate the offer and respond to the studios next week after careful consideration. However, they did not provide any information regarding the content of the counterproposal put forth by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the representing body for the studios.
The WGA’s negotiating committee explained that negotiations might progress more effectively if they were conducted without constant public commentary and scrutiny of each side’s moves. The committee pledged to adopt this approach unless significant developments occurred or if the studios attempted to influence the narrative through the media or industry surrogates.
In the meantime, the WGA has urged its members to continue their presence on picket lines, joining forces with members of the striking SAG-AFTRA actors’ union. The strike, which began on May 2, reached its 100th day earlier this week, making it the longest strike in the history of the Writers Guild of America.
The primary demands made by the WGA include better pay, success-based residuals for streaming content, and regulations regarding the use of artificial intelligence. The negotiations have centered around key issues such as residuals for streamed content and the use of AI on projects.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement expressing hope for a fair and equitable resolution to the strikes that have negatively impacted the local economy. The strike has led to a significant decrease in the number of permits sought for filming scripted content, reflecting the widespread effects on the entertainment industry.
The duration of the strike, combined with the ongoing picketing from SAG-AFTRA members, could have dire consequences for Hollywood. Experts predict that the strike may continue until January 2024, with both sides deeply entrenched in their positions.
The WGA negotiators have called on the studios to offer writers a fair deal and abandon what they consider to be an anti-union playbook. The studios, on the other hand, emphasize the need to get people back to work and express concern for the detrimental impact of the strike on the industry.
The WGA is seeking contract improvements on various fronts, including higher residual pay for popular streaming programs, industry standards for the number of writers assigned to each show, increased foreign streaming residuals, and regulations on AI usage in writing or rewriting literary material. The AMPTP has pushed back on some of these demands, particularly those related to mandatory staffing and employment guarantees.
The strike’s impact has been significant, affecting thousands of people within the industry and causing economic losses estimated to be in the billions. Negotiations continue as both parties strive to find common ground and resolve the strike that has disrupted the entertainment industry.
