HOME WEB NEWS IMAGES CLASSIFIEDS YELLOW PAGESPOLLS - SURVEYS WIKI COUNTRIES PHOTOS US UK INDIA
Cities Stocks Weather Movies Coupons Travel Blogs Health Horoscope Maps ASIA EUROPE Classifieds Yellow Pages
 1
|
| 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike |
|---|
|
| Articles |
| Actors\' Responses |
| Effects on Television |
| Timeline |
| AMPTP • WGAW • WGAE |
Striking writers and supporters raise signs at a WGAW rally in Los Angeles.
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America, west (WGAW). Cieply, Michael; Brooks Barnes. "Writers Say Strike to Start Monday", The New York Times, 2007-11-02. Retrieved on 2007-12-10. The WGAE and WGAW labor unions represent film, television and radio writers working in the United States. More than 12,000 writers joined the strikeHoriuchi, Vince. "Writers strike to hit TV first - and hard", The Salt Lake Tribune, 2007-11-04. which started on November 52007 and concluded on February 122008.
The strike was against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade organization representing the interests of 397 American film and television producers.http://www.amptp.org/aboutus.html The most influential of these are eight corporations: CBS Corporation (headed by Les Moonves), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (headed by Harry E. Sloan), NBC Universal (headed by Jeffrey Zucker), News Corp/Fox (headed by Peter Chernin), Paramount Pictures (headed by Brad Grey), Sony Pictures Entertainment (headed by Michael Lynton), the Walt Disney Company (headed by Robert Iger), and Warner Brothers (headed by Barry M. Meyer). http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/hollywood-moguls-advertise-common-goals/
Negotiators for the striking writers reached a tentative agreement on February 8, 2008, and the boards of both guilds unanimously approved the deal on February 10, 2008. Littleton, Cynthia; Dave McNary. "Showrunners back to work Monday", Variety, 2008-02-10. Retrieved on 2008-02-11. Striking writers voted on February 12, 2008 on whether to lift the restraining order, with 92.5% voting to end the strike.http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/strike-end-game-wga-members-vote/ On February 26, the WGA announced that the contract had been ratified with a 93.6% approval among WGA members. "Letter from the Presidents", WGA, 2008-02-26. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
The guilds were on strike for 14 weeks and 2 days (100 days)."The 100-Day Writers’ Strike: A Timeline", The New York Times, 2008-02-12. Retrieved on 2008-02-13. In contrast, the previous strike in 1988 lasted 21 weeks and 6 days (153 days), costing the American entertainment industry an estimated $500 million ($870 million in 2007 dollars). "Hollywood writers go on strike over new-media pay", Agence France Press, 2007-11-04. [1]
According to an NPR report filed on February 12, 2008, the strike cost the economy of Los Angeles an estimated $1.5 billion. A report from the UCLA Anderson School of Management put the loss at only $380 million, and economist Jack Kyser put the loss at $2.1 billion.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/business/media/12cnd-strike.html?_r=1&hp&oref=sloginhttp://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aKdwR9oC54WM&refer=us
Contents |
Writer-actor Jeff Garlin of Curb Your Enthusiasm (foreground, right) and others at a WGAW rally outside the Fox Studios in Los Angeles.
End of Day Statement from AMPTP President Nick Counter. Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (2007-11-01).}}
| Every issue that matters to writers, including Internet reuse, original writing for new media, DVDs, and jurisdiction, has been ignored. This is completely unacceptable. —WGA Negotiating CommitteeWriters Guild of America (2007-10-31). "Contract 2007 Negotiations Statement". Press release. |
Every three years, the Writers Guild negotiates a new basic contract with the AMPTP by which its members are employed. This contract is called the Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA).2004 Writers Guild of America–Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers Theatrical and Television Basic Agreement, Writers Guild of America, 2004, <http://wga.org/uploadedFiles/writers_resources/contracts/MBA04.pdf>. Retrieved on 9 November 2007 In 2007, negotiations over the MBA reached an impasse and the WGA membership voted to give its board authorization to call a strike, which it did on Friday, November 2, 2007; the strike began the following Monday, November 5, 2007.
Among the many proposals from both sides regarding the new contract, there were several key issues of contention including DVD residuals, union jurisdiction over animation and reality program writers, and compensation for "new media" (content written for or distributed through emerging digital technology such as the Internet). http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2485
In 1988, the Writers Guild went on strike over the home video market, which was then small and primarily consisted of distribution via video tape. At that time, the entertainment companies argued home video was an "unproven" market, with an expensive delivery channel (manufacturing VHS and Betamax tapes, and to a much smaller extent, Laserdisc). Movies were selling in the range of between $40-$100 per tape, and the Guild accepted a formula in which a writer would receive a small percentage (0.3%) of the first million of reportable gross (and 0.36% after) of each tape sold as a residual. As manufacturing costs for video tapes dropped dramatically and the home video market exploded, writers came to feel they had been shortchanged by this deal. DVDs debuted in 1996 and rapidly replaced the more-expensive VHS format, becoming the dominant format around 2001. The previous VHS residual formula continued to apply to DVDs.
At present, the home video market is the major source of revenue for the movie studios. In April of 2004, the New York Times reported the companies made $4.8 billion in home video sales versus $1.78 billion at the box office between January and March. "Studios Rush To Cash In On DVD Boom; Swelling Demand for Disks Alters Hollywood\'s Arithmetic", The New York Times, 2004-04-20. Retrieved on 2007-11-05.
|
|
This article or section needs to be updated. Please update the article to reflect recent events, and remove this template when finished. |
WGA members argue that a writer\'s residuals, or profits made from subsequent airings or purchases of a program, are a necessary part of a writer\'s income that is typically relied upon during periods of unemployment common in the writing industry. The WGA requested a doubling of the residual rate for DVD sales, which would result in a residual of 0.6% (up from 0.3%) per DVD sold. WGA Contract 2007 Proposals, Writers Guild of America, <http://www.wga.org/contract_07/proposalsfull2.pdf>. Retrieved on 9 November 2007
The AMPTP maintains that studios\' DVD income is necessary to offset rising production and marketing costs. Richard Verrier. "Writers Guild votes overwhelmingly to authorize a strike", Los Angeles Times, 2007-10-20. Retrieved on 2007-11-09. They have further insisted that the current DVD formula (0.3%) be applied to residuals in other digital media — an area also being contested by the Writers Guild.
The WGA provisionally removed the increased DVD residual request from the table, in an effort to avert a strike and on the understanding of certain concessions by the AMPTP, the night before the strike began. However, after the strike began, WGAW President Patric M. Verrone wrote that the membership exhibited "significant disappointment and even anger" when they learned of the proposed removal of the request; and Verrone also wrote that, since the removal of the increased DVD residual request was contingent on concessions by the AMPTP which did not happen, the writers would and should continue to "fight to get our fair share of the residuals of the future." Nikki Finke. "On the Line, Part II: Strike News Day One", LA Weekly, 2007-11-05. Retrieved on 2008-01-03.
WGA West president and Futurama writer Patric Verrone speaks at a strike rally in Los Angeles.
One critical issue for the negotiations is residuals for "new media", or compensation for delivery channels such as Internet downloads, IPTV, streaming, smart phone programming, straight-to-Internet content, and other "on-demand" online distribution methods, along with video on demand on cable and satellite television. Leopold, Tony. "Changing media landscape takes center stage in strike", CNN, 2007-11-08. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
Currently, the WGA has no arrangement with the companies regarding the use of content online, and two models of Internet distribution are currently being negotiated. The first is "electronic sell-through" (also known as "Internet sales" or "digital sell-through"). In electronic sell-through, the consumer purchases a copy of the program and downloads it to a local storage device for subsequent viewing at their convenience. Examples include movies and television shows purchased through the iTunes Store and Amazon Unbox. In the second model, "streaming video", the consumer watches a program in real time as it is transmitted to their computer but is usually not saved. Current examples of this model include advertising-supported television programs streamed free to the audience, such as those available at nbc.com, abc.com, fox.com, cbs.com, thedailyshow.com, and hulu.com.
In either case, the program may be viewed directly on a computer or on a traditional television via media distribution devices (e.g. TiVo). The convenience of both these technologies lowers the barriers to entry into the digital distribution marketplace making it more accessible to mainstream consumers.
It is widely expected by industry observers that new media will eventually supplant both DVD in the home video market and television in the broadcasting market as the primary means for distribution. "Internet Media Replacing Traditional Media", Podcasting News, 2007-08-27. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. "Most Americans Would Replace Cable and Satellite TV With Broadband TV, if TV Content Was the Same", P R News Wire, 2007-04-16. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. Prediction on personal ent./media environment. Elon University - Pew Internet Project. Retrieved on 2008-01-14."Online video \'eroding TV viewing\'", BBC News, 2006-11-27. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. "The Death of Television", Slate magazine, 2005-10-17. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. Say good-bye to Hollywood…. BrianEdmondson.Com. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. As in the mid-1980s, the companies have argued that new media represents an unproven and untested market and have asked for additional time for study. However, feeling resentment from the 20-year-old home video deal and unwilling to make similar concessions in a so-called "new market" yet again, WGA members have been adamant that whatever deal they make for new media, it cannot resemble the DVD formula.
New media is widely seen by most WGA writers as the central issue for the strike. Writer-director Craig Mazin (Scary Movie 3) has dubbed new media "the One Issue" that matters. Patience….Paaaaaatience……... Artfulwriter.com - A blog maintained by writers Craig Mazin and Ted Elliot. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
This sentiment was further articulated by a self-described "skeptic", writer Howard Gould, at a meeting of the full WGA membership the night before the strike date was announced. He said, to a standing ovation:
| “ | Soon, when computers and your TV are connected, that\'s how we\'re all going to watch. Okay? Those residuals are going to go from what they are towards zero if we don\'t make a stand now. ... This is such a big issue that if they see us roll over on this without making a stand - three years from now, they\'re gonna be back for something else. ... I might have been the most moderate one up here when we started, but I sat there in the room the first day and they read us those thirty-two pages of rollbacks. And what they wanted us to hear was that "if you don\'t give us what [we] want on the important thing, we\'re gonna come after you for all those other things." But what I heard was, if we give them that thing, they\'ll still come after us for those other things. And in three years, it\'ll be "we want to revamp the whole residual system," and in another three years, it\'ll be "y\'know what, we don\'t really want to fund the health fund the way we\'ve been." And then it will be pension. And then it\'ll be credit determination. And there just is that time when everybody has to see—this is one where we just gotta stand our ground.
Howard Gould. Hear Howard Gould talk about what the strike is about. Youtube. | ” |
The WGA\'s membership of approximately 12,000 writers (more than 7,000 in WGAW and more than 4,000 in WGAE) primarily work on live-action, script-driven movies and television programs.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21604567/
Exactly if and how the WGA\'s Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) should apply to other TV and film categories such as reality television and animation has been inconsistent over the years and is an area of much dispute.
The WGA had been pushing for jurisdiction of reality and animation, but have recently dropped these issues as the WGA and AMPTP have entered into informal negotiations. http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2008/01/letter-from-presidents-state-of.html
| The negotiations between the AMPTP and the WGA are at an impasse because the WGA has continued to press a series of unreasonable demands that have nothing to do with new media and the real concerns of most working writers. —AMPTP statement: The State of the Strike: Day 47 AMPTP (2007-12-21). "The State of the Strike: Day 47, An Open Letter to the Entertainment Industry from the AMPTP". Press release. |
Programs such as Real People and That\'s Incredible!, which were arguably "reality" shows of the 1980s, were covered by the MBA, whereas more recently produced reality shows such as Survivor and America\'s Next Top Model are not. From the E-Mailbag.... NewsFromMe.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. Many producers of reality programming argue that since these shows are mostly, if not entirely, unscripted, there is no writer. The WGA counters that the process of creating interesting scenarios, culling raw material, and shaping it into a narrative with conflict, character arc, and storyline constitutes writing and should fall under its contract.
In the summer of 2006, the WGA west attempted to organize employees of America\'s Next Top Model. Hollywood ProtestWatch: Writers Vs. Top Models. Defamer.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. "Picket line, not catwalk, at \'Top Model\'", USA Today, 2006-08-10. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. The employees voted to join the WGA, but then they were fired and production continued without them.
Animated films and TV programs have also been an area of heavy contention. The majority of animated film and television writing is not covered by the WGA\'s MBA. Most animated feature films have been written under the jurisdiction of another union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 839, also known as The Animation Guild. IATSE\'s jurisdiction stemmed from Walt Disney\'s tradition of creating an animated feature via storyboards written and drawn by storyboard artists. In recent years, most studios have begun hiring screenwriters to write script pages which are then storyboarded. According to the WGA, 100% of animated feature film screenplays in 2005 were written by at least one WGA member. Recently, some animated features, such as Beowulf, were written under the WGA contract.http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_12_19.html The only animated television programs affected by the strike are FOX\'s The Simpsons, Family Guy, King of the Hill and American Dad! Local 839, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. "Open Letter to All IATSE Members and Locals Engaged in Motion Picture and Television Production". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-11-16.
The WGA and the IATSE have an ongoing disagreement as to which union should represent animation writers. Finke, Nikki (2007-11-14). Bitchslapping Between IATSE & WGA: Why Tom Short Is Pissed At Verrone Et Al. Deadline Hollywood Daily. LA Weekly.
Regarding reality programming, the WGA has requested contract language clarifying that reality programming does fall under its jurisdiction. They have further proposed the adoption of a credit, “Story Producer” and “Supervising Story Producer” to be given to those writers performing story contributions to a reality show. Proposals for the Writers Guild of America 2007 Theatrical and Television Basic Agreement, Writers Guild of America, 2007-07-16, <http://www.wgaeast.org/wgreview/xaraya/var/uploads/File/contract%202007/MBA%20Proposals.pdf>
As for animation, the WGA has proposed clarifying its jurisdiction to cover all animation in TV and film that does not encroach on the jurisdiction of another union. The AMPTP has not agreed to these proposals. WGA president Patric Verrone announced that the reality and animation jurisdiction proposals were formally removed from the table,"The show will resume", The Economist, The Economist Newspaper and The Economist Group, 2008-02-12. although organizing efforts in this area are to continue. the writers strike is now over
|
|
This article or section needs to be updated. Parts of this article or section (those related to February 2008) are no longer up to date. All other information should be current. Please update the article to reflect recent events, and remove this template when finished. |
|
|
This section may contain an inappropriate mixture of prose and timeline. Please help convert this timeline into prose or, if necessary, a list. |
The final negotiations between the WGA and AMPTP before the WGA\'s contracts expired on October 31, 2007 Cieply, Michael. "To Strike or Not? Hollywood’s Next Drama", The New York Times, 2007-08-31. Retrieved on 2007-11-06. began on October 25, but the talks broke down due to the issues surrounding new-media royalties. After the contracts expired, the WGAW held a meeting at the Los Angeles Convention Center, which was attended by 3,000 WGAW members, and the negotiating committee formally recommended a strike, Fernandez, Maria Elena. "A line in the sand", Los Angeles Times, 2007-11-01. Retrieved on 2007-11-06. after which the WGAE and the WGAW officially announced that the strike would begin at 12:01 AM on November 5.McNary, Dave; Cynthia Littleton. "Writers call for strike: Union producers to resume talks Sunday", Variety, 2007-11-02. Retrieved on 2007-11-06. Presidents\' (sic) announce WGA strike (embedded video). Writers Guild of America. In a last-ditch conciliation to try to avoid the strike, the WGA temporarily withdrew its DVD proposal on November 4, but the companies still insisted on a lack of residual for new media,"Contract 2007 Negotiations Statement", Writers of Guild of America, West, 2007-11-04. Retrieved on 2007-11-06. and the talks subsequently broke down, with both sides accusing the other of walking out. Finke, Nikki. Deals, Lies & Backchannelling: Why This Is A Bigger Mess Now Than Ever Before (blog). Deadline Hollywood Daily. LA Weekly. Retrieved on 2007-11-04. Thus, on November 5, nearly 3,000 WGAW members, plus additional SAG and Teamsters members, picketed or refused to cross the picket lines at 14 targeted studios in Los Angeles,Finke, Nikki (2007-11-05). On The Line, Part II: Strike News Day One (blog). Deadline Hollywood Daily. LA Weekly. Retrieved on 2007-11-06. and many more Writer\'s Guild of America East picketers marched in locations in New York including Rockefeller Center. The picket lines continued, along with various rallies, throughout the strike period in both cities.
Following four days of targeted picketing, a large rally was held outside the Fox studios in Los Angeles on Friday, November 9, drawing an estimated 4,000 WGAW members and supporters, including a sizeable number of SAG members.Dave McNary. "Writers stage big rally", Variety, 2007-11-09. Speakers included WGA West president Patric M. Verrone, Family Guy/American Dad! creator Seth MacFarlane, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, and producer Norman Lear. The rally was opened with a two-song performance by Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello (as The Nightwatchman) of Rage Against the Machine.UnitedHollywood provides rally footage via Youtube (video). United Hollywood via YouTube. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
On late November 16, 2007, both the WGA and the AMPTP made the following announcement: "Leaders from the WGA and the AMPTP have mutually agreed to resume formal negotiations on November 26. No other details or press statements will be issued."
On November 29, 2007, the AMPTP submitted a new proposal to the WGA, reportedly worth an additional $130 million in compensation. The WGA responded that it did not understand how the $130 million figure had been calculated, but was pleased the AMPTP was proposing figures in that range. Both sides agreed to a four-day recess at the WGA\'s request. Talks were resumed on December 4.
Following a renewed push on jurisdiction in reality programming by the WGA, including a rally outside North American headquarters of non-signatory reality producer FremantleMedia, talks again broke off on December 7 when the AMPTP walked away from the table, issuing a press release that they would return only upon the WGA dropping several key proposals, among them the reality proposal. Judge AMPTP\'s Ultimatum For Yourselves. Deadline Hollywood Daily. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. This move had been predicted by reporter Nikki Finke and others, many of whom suspect the AMPTP is intentionally delaying negotiations so that it may terminate unwanted production contracts via force majeure.Nikki Finke is Clairvoyant -- or Maybe the Playbook is Just Too Obvious. United Hollywood.com - at Blogspot. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. According to Wall Street, the impact of accepting all of WGA\'s proposals are "largely negligible" and "financially small", suggesting that the studios are afraid that reaching a favourable settlement with the writers might "embolden directors and actors in their coming renegotiations." Goetzl, David. "Report Puts Another Digit On TV Writers Strike, But Main Issue Is Digital", MediaDailyNews, MediaPost Publications, 2007-12-24. Retrieved on 2007-12-28.
In mid-December, the WGA announced plans to try to negotiate with individual production companies to end the impasse. U.S. screenwriters guild to negotiate with individual companies. CBC (2007-12-16). Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
However, on January 19 the AMPTP and WGA agreed to resume informal talks in an effort to organize formal negotiations.http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Entertainment/2008/01/22/wga_producers_set_to_begin_informal_talks/9879/ This was accepted and both parties decided to go back to the negotiating table as of that date, however WGA president has ordered that there be a media black-out and that no WGA employees are to report any news to the media. WGA President Patric Verrone did however report on January 22 that the animation and reality jurisdiction proposals had been dropped.
On January 25, 2008 it was announced that the WGA had made an interim agreement with Lions Gate and Marvel Studios. However, the AMPTP has commented on these types of agreements as "meaningless", although talks between them and WGA are to continue over the weekend and many critics believed the strike could be over within two weeks. From the Picket Lines: Strike Over By Oscars?. TV Guide (2008-01-27). Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
On February 2, 2008, despite a media blackout agreed to by both parties during unofficial negotiations, multiple media reports suggested there had been significant progress involving breakthroughs on key issues in the talks. Further reporting suggested that by the end of the business week starting February 4, 2008, a contract proposal might be announced. Breakthrough in Striking Writers Talks, Yahoo!, February 2, 2008http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/is-wga-mogul-deal-about-to-clinch/ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/business/media/02cnd-writers.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin Pro-WGA blog UnitedHollywood.com confirms that "creative solutions to the biggest differences between the AMPTP and the WGA have gotten the tentative and cautious approval of both sides", but cautions that the specific legal language has not yet been drafted. http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2008/02/ny-times-reports-progress-in-talks.html
The New York Times also reported key WGA negotiators will brief the union\'s negotiating committee on Monday. If true, a signed agreement could be in hand by the end of the week. Cieply, Michael (2008-02-02). Progress Toward Ending Writers’ Strike. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-02-03.
On Sunday, February 3, 2008, TV Guide editor Michael Ausiello announced that new episodes of television series such as Grey\'s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives could be produced as early as March, if writers and studios reach a tentative deal soon.Ausiello, Michael (2008-02-03). Exclusive: \'Grey\'s\', \'Housewives\' Plot Post-Strike Returns. TV Guide. Retrieved on 2008-02-05. On Sunday, the NBC nightly news speculated that this indicated a breakthrough had been reached concerning so-called new media. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#22982230
On February 3, 2008 rumors continued to mount. Deadlinehollywooddaily.com reported that Peter Chernin had told fellow Super Bowl attendees that "the strike is over." http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/chernin-tells-super-bowl-pals-strike-is-over
| This is not over. Nor is it close. Until the moment it is over, it can never be close. Because if we see the finish line we will flag and they are absolutely counting on us to do that. In the room, reason. On the streets, on the net, I say reason is for the \'moderates\'. Remember what they\'ve done. Remember what they\'re trying to take from us. FIGHT. FIGHT. FIGHT. —Joss Whedon http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2008/02/from-joss-whedon-do-not-adjust-your.html |
On February 5, 2008, the WGA leadership scheduled a meeting for active members on Saturday, February 9 2008 to discuss and gain feedback on a proposed contract. McNary, Dave (2008-02-05). WGA schedules Saturday meeting. Variety. Retrieved on 2008-02-05. TV executives have described the deadline as February 15 for new material to be produced for the 2007-2008 television season. Strike: An end in sight?. Variety (2008-02-03). Retrieved on 2008-02-05. Striking Writers to Debate Labor Deal on Saturday, Yahoo!, February 6, 2008
Since many writers from New York have flocked to Los Angeles and vice versa, agents and producers have alerted writers to fly back to production locations during the weekend of February 9 and February 10 because networks expect many shows to restart production on Monday, February 11 if a deal is reached between the WGA and the AMPTP. Dos Santos, Kristen (2007-02-06). Strike Update: What\'s the What Right Now?. E! Online and Yahoo TV. Retrieved on 2008-02-07.
In the early hours of February 9, 2008, WGA President Patric Verrone emailed the membership announcing that the WGA leadership and AMPTP had reached a tentative deal. The tentative contract proposals were provided to the membership, and a meeting to discuss them as well as future process is scheduled the same day on both coasts.
According to reports, the first deal discussion meeting for WGAE\'s members, which took place at 2:00 P.M. EST in New York City, ended on an optimistic note. Hayes, Dade (2008-02-09). Writers upbeat but still no vote. Variety. Retrieved on 2008-02-09.
Showrunners are due to return to work on Monday, February 11. Littleton, Cynthia; McNary, Dave (2008-02-10). Showrunners back to work Monday. Variety. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
| On Tuesday, members of the Writers Guilds East and West voted by a 92.5% margin to lift the restraining order that was invoked on November 5th. The strike is over. —WGA President and Futurama writer Patric Verronehttp://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/strike-end-game-wga-members-vote/ |
The screenwriters declared victory, hailing the tentative agreement with Hollywood\'s major studios that, if accepted, could send employees back to work this week. Writers Applaud Deal with Stuidos, Washington Post, February 10, 2008
The union leaders of the Writers Guild of America have endorsed a new three-year deal. The screenwriters should be back at their keyboards by February 13, 2008. Screenwriters Union Endorses Deal to End Strike, Yahoo!, February 10, 2008Writers to Vote on Contract, Yahoo!, February 10, 2008
On Sunday, February 10, 2008, The Writer\'s Guild of America initiated a 48 hour vote to guild members on making a motion on ending the three-month old strike.Writers Voting on Ending Strike, Yahoo!, February 12, 2008 Voting ended for WGAE at 7PM EST, on February 12, 2008. The WGAW voted from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. PST, and at approximately 6:51 PST, WGA president Patric Verone announced that 92.5% of the membership voted to end the strike.http://wga.org/
| The WGA organizers are grasping for straws and have never had a coherent strategy for engaging in serious negotiations. The AMPTP may have different companies with different assets in different businesses, but they are all unified in one common goal -- to reach an agreement with writers that positions everyone in our industry for success in a rapidly changing marketplace. —AMPTP spokesman Jesse HiestandAMPTP (2007-12-15). "Response to a Statement from the WGA Negotiating Committee". Press release. Retrieved on 2008-01-08. |
Foreseeing the possibility of a strike, production companies accelerated production of films and television episodes in an effort to stockpile enough material to continue regular film releases and TV schedules during the strike period."Studios brace for life without scribes", Variety. Retrieved on 2007-11-09. A list of 300 high-priority film projects reportedly circulated around talent agencies in accordance with this effort.Havens, Edward (2007-09-13). List of Pre-Strike Films Getting Made (blog). Utah Street Networks.
Following the refusal of many showrunners (writer-producers) to cross the picket line in the first week of the strike, production companies sent breach-of-contract letters and have suspended many of them without pay.Finke, Nikki (2007-11-09). \'Suspension Is Not Firing\': Fox Stops Paying Showrunners & Hyphenates (blog). Deadline Hollywood Daily. LA Weekly.
There was also speculation the companies were seeking out other sources of writing services, including in the UK.Dawtrey, Adam. "Will producers turn to UK. writers?", Variety, 2007-11-08. The Writers\' Guild of Great Britain attempted to thwart this effort, however, by discouraging British union members from participating.Elsworth, Catherine. "US TV strike could give British a star role", London Telegraph, 2007-11-14. Retrieved on 2007-11-15. Paul Cornell, a writer for several successful television series in the UK, mentioned in a post on his blog on December 14 2007 that he had declined an approach to cross the WGA picket line and write for an American series.Cornell, Paul (2007-12-14). The Twelve Blogs of Christmas: One. Paul Cornell\'s House of Awkwardness. Retrieved on 2007-12-30.
The AMPTP announced on December 6 that it has hired the public relations services of Chris Lehane and Mark Fabiani, self-dubbed the "Masters of Disaster", who have previously worked for Democratic politicians (including Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, and Gray Davis) and who, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, "earn up to $100,000 a month for pulling their clients out of public relations quicksand.""How Chris Lehane, revered by some and reviled by others, gets the campaign consultant job done", San Fransisco Chronicle, 2004-10-24. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. "THE 2004 CAMPAIGN: STRATEGY; Clark\'s Rivals Irked by Campaign Aide\'s Tactics", San Fransisco Chronicle, 2004-01-16. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. The AMPTP has also hired former Arnold Schwarzenegger campaign manager Steve Schmidt of Mercury Public Affairs in Sacramento."Studios bring in PR doctors", LA Times, 2007-12-06. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
Fabiani & Lehane\'s strategy appears to be to try to weaken the WGA membership\'s resolve and foment resentment and doubt regarding WGA leadership within its ranks and in the film industry at large, especially with below-the-line workers, by framing the strike as "havoc...wreaked...by the WGA\'s actions" (paraphrased) and by blaming the WGA for "start[ing] this strike".Finke, Nikki. "AMPTP Statement Recycles Same Old Shit", Deadline Hollywood Daily, L.A Weekly, 2007-12-17. They are also attempting to recast language in terms more favorable to the AMPTP, such as referring to WGA negotiators as "organizers" and branding the AMPTP proposals as a "New Economic Partnership".Finke, Nikki. "AMPTP\'s PR Firm Justifies Its Existence But Masters Of Disaster Make Own Mess", Deadline Hollywood Daily, L.A Weekly, 2007-12-11.
In response to their work for the AMPTP, Fabiani & Lehane\'s union clients SEIU Local 99 and Change To Win terminated their contracts with the consultants.Labor Unions Support WGA, Fire Union Busting Consultant Chris Lehane. Fire Dog Lake.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.AMPTP\'s PR Firm Justifies Its Existence But Masters Of Disaster Make Own Mess. Deadline Hollwood Daily.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
The DGA\'s tentative contract settlement has called a possible end to the writer\'s strike although many writers believe it\'s just a tactical ploy from the studios who have always paid directors considerably more than writers on average.Writers’ Strike Tests the Mettle of 2 Outsiders.
| If they gave us everything we had on the table right now, if they gave us everything we wanted—everything—and they then made a deal with the DGA and matched it, which is what they\'ll do, and then they made a deal with the Screen Actors Guild and tripled it, which is typically what happens…if they did that—if they gave us everything—on a company-by-company basis they would be giving all of us less than each of their CEOs makes in a year. And in some cases, a lot less. —WGAW president Patric Verrone WGAW President Patric Verrone says writers want fair play. Youtube. |
During the pre-strike negotiations, the WGA created "contract captains" in order to keep the general membership informed on a person-to-person basis of the latest developments. Once the strike started, these members became "strike captains" who are tasked with communication duties as well as helping to coordinate pickets.
The WGA has assigned picketers to location shoots in an attempt to shut down production and have set up picket lines in front of studio gates to encourage Teamsters, particularly truck drivers, not to cross the line.Finke, Nikki. "Writers Strike News, Day 4", Deadline Hollywood Daily, L.A Weekly, 2007-11-08.
For its second week of picketing, the WGA has reduced their studio strike list from fourteen to ten, shifted picketing hours to earlier in the day, and has scheduled a series of daily strike themes ranging from "Bring-A-Star-To-Picket-With-You" (also called "Cast Day") to "Bring-Your-Kids" special events.Nikki Fink reports on scheduled "Bring-A-Star-To-Picket-With-You eventUnitedHollywood discusses week 2 strike strategies
The WGA has made a direct appeal to the public to explain the issues behind the strike, including use of online videos and blogs.UnitedHollywood provides rally footage via Youtube (video)United Hollywood Appeals directly to the public via Youtube (video) WGA strike captains have also encouraged fans to mail pencils to the film and TV moguls en masse.Pencils for MogulsPencils 2 Media Moguls Update They are also looking to unorthodox methods, including performing a mock exorcism against Warner Bros. and holding the last rites for the former MBA.http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=3745
Additionally, the WGA has appealed to members of crew and industry craft unions, including the Teamsters, and IATSE, some of whom may not be aware that their union also receives residuals to pay for health and pension programs and that they are expected to directly benefit from residual gains made by the WGA.informational video to non-WGA industry unions
In late December, the WGA announced a new "divide and conquer" strategy designed to break the solidarity of the AMPTP by negotiating strategic interim deals with individual networks, studios, and production companies who are willing to agree to the WGA\'s proposals. This is intended to put pressure on the other member companies, especially those who are competing with companies that are thus able to return to production. The approach has resulted in deals with David Letterman\'s television production company Worldwide Pants,Finke, Nikki. "WGA Agrees To Allow Dave\'s Late Night Shows To Return With Writers Jan. 2; Will This Divide The Guild?", Deadline Hollywood Daily, L.A Weekly, 2007-12-28. Letterman to return with writers. BBC (2007-12-29). Retrieved on 2007-12-29. another with feature studio United Artists,http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117978523.html?categoryid=2821&cs=1 and a third one with film studio The Weinstein Company.diOrio, Carl; Goldstein, Gregg. "WGA\'s latest: Deal with Weinstein Co.", The Hollywood Reporter, 2008-01-11. Retrieved on 2008-02-05. The new strategy contains some risk for the WGA, however, as some members may resent a few writers working while others are still on strike.
On January 14, 2008, two additional side deals were announced by the WGA - one with Media Rights Capital, a production company working on both features and television, and the other with Spyglass Entertainment.Spyglass, MRC ink their own deals with WGAhttp://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2717 On January 25 2008, another side deal was reached; the WGA and Marvel Studios signed an interim comprehensive agreement.http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6715
On
