Writers Guild of America (WGA) negotiators have met with representatives of the key studios for the primary time in a three-month strike by Hollywood writers to debate whether or not contract talks can resume, however the guild mentioned no settlement was reached.
The WGA mentioned in a press release to its members that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which negotiates on behalf of Walt Disney, Netflix, mentioned it wanted to seek the advice of with member studios earlier than shifting ahead.
The AMPTP didn’t instantly problem a public assertion on the assembly, and it didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The 11,500 members of the writers’ guild walked out May 2, citing an deadlock over pay, streaming residuals and different points reminiscent of setting curbs on the usage of synthetic intelligence.
In its assertion following Friday’s assembly, the WGA mentioned the AMPTP was keen to extend its provides on a “few writer-specific TV minimums and talk about AI” however didn’t point out willingness to interact in screenwriters’ points and different proposals.
“In addition to a comprehensive response from the AMPTP on our proposals in all work areas, we will need to address issues arising from the strike, including a health care benefit extension and additional plan funding, reinstatement of striking writers, and arbitration of disputes arising during the strike,” the WGA mentioned.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass mentioned earlier than the Friday assembly she was inspired by the reopening of communication, because the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ twin strikes negatively affect the financial system.
Members of the Screen Actors Guild additionally went on strike on July 14 after being unable to achieve an settlement with the studios on a brand new three-year contract.
The work stoppage is taking a toll on florists, caterers, costume suppliers and different small companies that assist the leisure trade.
Ahead of Friday’s assembly, the writers and studios teams traded pointed statements.
The WGA’s negotiating committee mentioned it was time for the studios to desert the ways they used through the earlier writers’ strike in 2007-08, together with allegedly spreading misinformation about the true affect of the strike.
“We challenge the studios and AMPTP to come to the meeting they called for this Friday with a new playbook,” the WGA mentioned in an electronic mail. “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 known as the WGA rhetoric “unfortunate.”
“Tomorrow’s discussion with the WGA is to determine whether we have a willing bargaining partner,” the AMPTP mentioned in a press release, including “Our only playbook is getting people back to work.”
Previously, the group mentioned it had supplied writers beneficiant will increase in compensation, and put ahead enhancements within the residuals paid to writers for making their motion pictures and TV exhibits obtainable on streaming providers.
The twin job actions by writers and actors are rippling broadly by way of the leisure trade, halting most work on scripted sequence for the autumn TV season in addition to movie manufacturing.
Fox is predicted to announce that tv’s Emmy Awards will likely be rescheduled to air in January because of the strikes, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing an individual aware of the plans.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros Discovery warned buyers Thursday that uncertainty over the twin strikes might delay movie releases and affect its capability to provide and ship content material.
© Thomson Reuters 2023.