‘Studios are trying to jam us’ – US writers hit out proposals to end strike
More than 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America have now been on strike since May 2.
Striking Hollywood writers have hit out at representatives of major Hollywood studios by accusing the companies of trying to “jam” the union.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said its “comprehensive package” addressed all the issues that the union has identified and studios want to end industrial action as “priority”.
More than 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have now been on strike since May 2, over issues including pay and the threat of artificial intelligence (AI).
In a statement, the WGA negotiating committee said it met in “good faith” with The Walt Disney Company’s chief executive Bob Iger, Universal Pictures chairwoman Donna Langley, the co-chief executive of Netflix Ted Sarandos, Warner Bros Discovery chief executive David Zaslav, and president of the AMPTP Carol Lombardini.
The union added: “We were met with a lecture about how good their single and only counter-offer was.
“We explained all the ways in which their counter’s limitations and loopholes and omissions failed to sufficiently protect writers from the existential threats that caused us to strike in the first place.
“We told them that a strike has a price, and that price is an answer to all – and not just some – of the problems they have created in the business.
“But this wasn’t a meeting to make a deal. This was a meeting to get us to cave, which is why, not 20 minutes after we left the meeting, the AMPTP released its summary of their proposals.
“This was the companies’ plan from the beginning – not to bargain, but to jam us.”
Hollywood actors have also been striking after union Sag-Aftra began industrial action on July 14 which has put a stop to some UK-based filming, such as the adaption of the musical Wicked and the movie Deadpool 3.
Negotiators for the AMPTP and the WGA met on August 11 and have continued to meet since.
According to a release put out on Tuesday by the AMPTP, the new offer to the WGA recognises “the foundational role writers play in the industry and underscores the companies’ commitment to ending the strike”.
It includes “unprecedented terms” in the areas of generative AI, data transparency and minimum staffing, the AMPTP said.
Ms Lombardini said: “Our priority is to end the strike so that valued members of the creative community can return to what they do best and to end the hardships that so many people and businesses that service the industry are experiencing.
“We have come to the table with an offer that meets the priority concerns the writers have expressed.
“We are deeply committed to ending the strike and are hopeful that the WGA will work toward the same resolution.”
As part of its proposal, the AMPTP promises “landmark protections” for writers surrounding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI).
“Written material produced by GAI will not be considered literary material,” the proposal states, adding: “A writer will not be disadvantaged if any part of the script is based on GAI-produced material.”
The AMPTP is offering the WGA a 5% increase in wage rates in the first year of the contract, 4% in the second year and 3.5% in the third year.
It is also offering worldwide residual boosts in the amount of 87,546 dollars (£68,671) per episode for three exhibition years, up from 72,067 dollars (£56,530).
