WGA Talks to Resume Next Week After Monthlong Limbo

Date: September 15, 2023

Los Angeles, CA – In a significant development, talks between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and major studios are set to resume next week, following a month-long hiatus that had left the industry in a state of uncertainty. The discussions aim to bring an end to the four-month-long writers’ strike that has disrupted the entertainment landscape.

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The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), representing major studios, confirmed that the WGA reached out on September 13, requesting a meeting to propel negotiations forward. In response, the AMPTP expressed its commitment to reaching a fair agreement and is currently working on scheduling the meeting for the upcoming week.

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The two sides had last convened at the negotiating table on August 18, with a subsequent meeting on August 22 involving several entertainment CEOs and WGA leaders at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel. However, talks had remained at a standstill for the past three weeks, with each side insisting that the other owed them a response.

Central to the dispute are the WGA’s demands for a streaming residual system based on viewership numbers for each show and the implementation of a mandatory minimum number of writers per TV show, which would scale with the number of episodes. These demands have been met with resistance from the AMPTP.

While the AMPTP rejected these key demands, they did offer to provide viewership data to the WGA, a step toward potential future negotiations on residuals in three years. They also proposed allowing showrunners to hire at least two writers per show but declined to commit to a guaranteed minimum staff size.

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The two sides also remain at odds over several other issues, including two-step deals for feature writers and minimum terms for comedy-variety and game show writers on streaming platforms.

In August, the WGA expressed dissatisfaction with the studios’ latest offer, citing “loopholes, limitations, and omissions.” Although some progress had been made, it fell short of the union’s expectations. Since then, WGA leaders have indicated that the studios were working on a new offer, while the studios urged the WGA to respond comprehensively to their August 11 proposal.

The extended strike, which began on May 2, inches closer to becoming the longest in WGA history if it extends beyond October 4. The situation is further complicated by the simultaneous strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), marking the first time in 63 years that both unions have engaged in labor actions simultaneously.

The AMPTP has yet to reopen talks with SAG-AFTRA since their strike commenced, with their primary focus on reaching an agreement with the writers.

As the strike continues, it has disrupted production schedules, impacting the livelihoods of writers and other industry professionals. The outcome of the upcoming negotiations holds significant implications for the entertainment industry, especially in an era marked by the prominence of streaming platforms and evolving media consumption patterns. Finding common ground will be crucial to restoring stability and productivity to the industry.