The Writers Guild of America is going to hold an informal meeting with studios this week in what looks like a first step in getting back to the bargaining table with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (I'm sure that the deal the Director's Guild of America made on Thursday is what generated these talks.)
The Hollywood Reporter says that CBS Corp. CEO Les Moonves and News Corp. President Peter Chernin actually held informal meetings with reps from the guild over the weekend, so maybe we're on the way to seeing some sort of resolution to this whole mess. It's been a month and a half since they last held talks.
I'm wondering if they could get some sort of temporary deal in place? That's probably not realistic, since there would be no guarantee that the writers would get what they want. The article above does outline some of what the AMPTP doesn't like: "reality TV and animation jurisdiction, the right to stage sympathy strikes, and forced arbitration in residual situations involving vertically integrated businesses." That last one sounds very contract-ish, doesn't it?
By the way, "informal meetings" means, of course, that they won't be wearing tuxes.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-21-2008 @ 12:15PM
Jimmy said...
If the above three things are all that's holding up the congloms, not Internet jurisdiction, then the WGA has won at least one of its major fights. The reality/animation may have to wait for another day, the sympathy strike seems like it was just thrown in for good measure and could be jettisoned, and the forced arbitration should be negotiable (perhaps with waiting periods or other measures). I firmly believe the writers have been on the correct side of this strike, but their ability to remain on strike and not lose support from its members lessens each day.
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1-21-2008 @ 2:17PM
Rick said...
Legalese isn't my specialty, so I could very well be wrong, but I believe that the "forced arbitration in residual situations involving vertically integrated businesses" phrase is referring to the Internet jurisdiction. Internet distribution is likely one of the areas of vertical integration over which the parties are debating residuals. As I said, though, I'm just guessing.
1-21-2008 @ 12:28PM
dt3 said...
what a cruel twist it would be for NBC and iTunes to finally end their arguments only to have this strike continue the rest of the year.
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1-21-2008 @ 1:00PM
Jeff N. said...
The WGA and the studios need to find a compromise. It's stupid for both sides not to find as solution.
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1-21-2008 @ 2:13PM
Eric said...
lock em all in a room, and no one comes out until a deal is reached. Myself and my baseball bat, would be more than willing to guard the door.
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1-21-2008 @ 2:29PM
Christopher said...
I'm looking for some solidarity.
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1-21-2008 @ 4:10PM
Televinita said...
Hell, I wouldn't give them a deal that includes "the right to stage sympathy strikes" either. You'd be trading in an end to the current strike only to open up an invitation to the same disruption down the road, rather than flatly resolving the issue.
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