Hollywood studio rep sees ‘disaster’ after talks break off with writers
Negotiations have broken off again between the union representing Hollywood writers and the studios, with both sides blaming the other for the lack of movement.
“We have had six across-the-table sessions and have been met with only silence and stonewalling,” said J. Nicholas Counter III, president of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
“We are farther apart Ö than when we started, and the only outcome we see is a disaster.”
The Writers Guild of America has been in talks with the alliance since July.
The two sides are scheduled to return to the bargaining table on Tuesday but it remains to be seen whether they can continue talking, as Friday’s meeting lasted only one hour.
In statements released Friday, both sides accused the other of inflexibility and expressed frustration at the slow pace of negotiations.
The guild mailed ballots to its members Oct. 1, asking them to authorize a strike. The union gave members until Oct. 18 to decide. The writers’ contract expires Oct. 31.
Studios and networks have hastened the filming of shows and movies while also stockpiling scripts. The last strike was in 1988 and that lasted 22 weeks, costing the industry an estimated half billion dollars.
The two sides are far apart on issues such as pay for TV reality shows and work distributed over the internet and cellphones. In addition, the studios would like to delay paying residuals on shows and movies until producers have recouped their costs.
“The entertainment industry is successful and growing like never before. Writers, whose creativity is at the heart of that success and growth, are committed to sharing in it,” said the guild in a statement released on Friday.
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