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May 26, 2012

WGA, studios to meet this week

by Bob Sassone, posted Jan 21st 2008 11:46AM

strikeThe 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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Televinita

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.

January 21 2008 at 4:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chris

I'm looking for some solidarity.

January 21 2008 at 2:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Eric

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.

January 21 2008 at 2:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jeff N.

The WGA and the studios need to find a compromise. It's stupid for both sides not to find as solution.

January 21 2008 at 12:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
david

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.

January 21 2008 at 12:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jimmy

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.

January 21 2008 at 12:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jimmy's comment
Rick

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.

January 21 2008 at 2:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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