In response to the recent proposal by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the Writers Guild of America (WGA) stated on Tuesday. Significant hurdles remain despite hopes for a swift resolution to the ongoing 106-day strike.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the WGA showed some flexibility on specific points. However, the concessions made by the union’s negotiators needed to meet the substantial demands that the studios were anticipating in response to their proposal.
While the WGA did slightly adjust its stance on the minimum staff size for TV writers, offering a reduction of just one writer, the AMPTP’s counteroffer to grant showrunners the authority to hire a specified minimum number of writers based on the production budget failed to impress the WGA.
Nonetheless, the disagreement extends beyond these specific issues. Both sides remain in contention on various matters, including streaming residuals and an elevated minimum tier for TV writer-producers.
Initial optimism among several studio insiders surrounding the AMPTP’s revised offer was kept from WGA negotiators. They urged caution among members, advising them not to rely on studio leaks suggesting that a resolution was imminent.
Last Friday marked the return of both parties to the negotiation table since the strike’s commencement on May 2.
Notably, the strike’s resolution has garnered personal attention from prominent industry figures. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Disney CEO Bob Iger have been actively involved in seeking an end to the dispute.
A central issue for the WGA is including streaming residuals tied to a show’s popularity. Streaming platforms have consistently resisted sharing viewership data, but AMPTP’s recent offer introduces a concept of sharing the number of hours each display is viewed. However, this offer doesn’t tether writers’ compensation to this metric. The WGA, meanwhile, maintains its original proposal, raising concerns about whether “hours” accurately reflect the appropriate measure, as opposed to views.
It was widely anticipated that the WGA would wait to accept the AMPTP’s latest proposal immediately. It is understood that intensive negotiations are still required before a comprehensive agreement can be reached. The studios, however, had hoped for a more substantial alignment between the two sides.
The WGA also pursues a provision allowing its members to respect other unions’ picket lines. This stipulation could delay many writers’ return to work until the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike, as both unions have emphasized their shared solidarity.
The AMPTP seems resistant to embracing this proposal, which was initially introduced on August 4th.
Furthermore, the WGA seeks assurances that the union’s health plan will maintain its funding throughout the strike. Ensuring members keep health coverage due to the ongoing labor action remains a priority.
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, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) stated on Tuesday. Sig){kind=link}