With less than a week left on the Writers Guild of America’s contract, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers placed what it called a “comprehensive proposal” on the bargaining table during today’s talks. The WGA said it would respond in detail Friday.
“The proposal lays the groundwork and provides a framework for an agreement,” AMPTP President Nick Counter said in a statement.
Mr. Counter said the AMPTP is looking for some common ground to establish between the two organizations in order reach an agreement before Oct. 31, the last day of the WGA’s current contract.
After removing a proposal to overhaul the current writers’ residual payment system from the bargaining table last week, the AMPTP is looking for a concession from the WGA’s side.
“Since the Producers' withdrawal of the recoupment proposal, [the WGA has] made no moves at all on [its] proposals, much less any move that matched the magnitude of the removal of the recoupment proposal,” Carol Lombardini, AMPTP executive VP of Business & Legal Affairs, said in a statement.
The AMPTP’s proposal does not budge on several of the WGA’s major contract points, including a 100% increase in DVD residuals, from four cents on every $15 DVD to eight cents.
Does anyone know if non-WGA writers can come in and write scripts to replace those WGA writers who are on strike? It seems like shows for a time could just do a switch. Also, I feel bad for the 10% of WGA members who didn't want to strike. Those people should be allowed to work while the other 90% of writers are being stubborn.
So much of hollywood is union, other union professionals wouldn't work for non union writers.
If you are a union writer and work during the strike, you will no longer be in the union. An All For One and One For All thing.
quote:
Originally posted by WelcomeToK-Ville: Does anyone know if non-WGA writers can come in and write scripts to replace those WGA writers who are on strike? It seems like shows for a time could just do a switch. Also, I feel bad for the 10% of WGA members who didn't want to strike. Those people should be allowed to work while the other 90% of writers are being stubborn.
Originally posted by WelcomeToK-Ville: Also, I feel bad for the 10% of WGA members who didn't want to strike. Those people should be allowed to work while the other 90% of writers are being stubborn.
Originally posted by WelcomeToK-Ville: Also, I feel bad for the 10% of WGA members who didn't want to strike. Those people should be allowed to work while the other 90% of writers are being stubborn.
That kinda negates the whole purpose of a union.
The suggestion certainly demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of how Unions work. It does help explain the misguided belief that the writers could be replaced and, somehow, the actors, directors, etc... would freely/instantly/willingly work with those replacements.
Originally posted by Julianne: The strike begins Monday 12:01 AM. WGA wants to settle but no one's budging on the DVD and web residuals issue.
Any one else find it terribly ironic that DVD and internet options are what the writers are striking about? Seems counter productive on both ends considering that the longer the strike goes the less episodes there are to get paid for when their show is put on DVD.
How lonely will a 3 disc Heroes season 2 DVD set look next to the glorious 7 disc season 2 set?
As once noted elsewhere, we have a 4-DVR recording with external hard drive storage capability which we use to create a "Summer Season supplement" and a "rerun cycle supplement." So, as they run out of episodes due to the strike we'll fill in with unwatched episodes of:
5 Days Cane Damages Dexter K-Ville L&O: SVU Lincoln Heights Prison Break Tell Me You Love Me The Unit
While our household is unusual now, this is the wave of the future, along with VOD, DVD's and the web. Of course, we may have to find some other stuff for the Summer Season supplement.
A GEEZER who remembers watching TV in 1951 and has been an Echostar customers since 1988. Dish Network - 4 recorders plus East & West Network Feeds
Posts: 11 | Location: Willits, CA | Registered: 08 October 2007
Originally posted by TV-aholic: So much of hollywood is union, other union professionals wouldn't work for non union writers.
If you are a union writer and work during the strike, you will no longer be in the union. An All For One and One For All thing.[QUOTE]Originally posted by WelcomeToK-Ville: Does anyone know if non-WGA writers can come in and write scripts to replace those WGA writers who are on strike? It seems like shows for a time could just do a switch. Also, I feel bad for the 10% of WGA members who didn't want to strike. Those people should be allowed to work while the other 90% of writers are being stubborn.
There is no support for this strike from the labor unions
IATSE is not supporting this walk out. The Teamsters, they will not cross but it will be up to each individual whether to cross or not. The writers on my show make great money they are paid 2x more than the highest paid crew member plus they recieve residuals. It may be they need more but 250,000 workers will lose jobs over a couple pennies on DVD sales . In one month a few BILLION dollars will be sucked out of So Cal. It will further the pain for those recovering from fires, it will further the pain of the Real Estate collapse, this is the wrong thing to do. The Writers should continue to WORK while negotiating a new contract.You will just hurt the workers, not the studios or the corps, you hurt Americans not the Companies they work for. Its easy when you are paid RESIDUALS from show you penned in the past, easy to Strike when you know there will be something. What THE FU** will the crews that make your shows do for income? Another FU, did anyone think about that? YOU ARE NOT HURTING DISNEY, FOX, VIACOM, SONY, you are hurting the other UNIONIZED workers, over pennies. An industry full of Negotiators and you cannot work this out? Comon Producers, Comon Writers? You want more money? You are unfairly compensated? What a joke. Try working for a living then complaining , you make more than most Physicians, you make more than the President of The USA, some of you are the RICHEST PEOPLE at THE STUDIO. The LOWEST PAID WRITER MAKES MORE THAN THE HIGHEST PAID CREW MEMBER, and that is not counting residuals. And yeah the crew makes the SHOW happen, it brings the words to life, and we work 20 hours per day making YOU RICH! Thanks for thinking of us
Ok , let me tone this down because I support the writers in several of the demands. I believe 100% there should be a fair pay plan for New Media and the DVD percentages should be slightly higher. Contributions to Pension and Health should also be raised. I apologize to any member of the WGA for seemingly turning my back on the demands. I just feel working under the current contract until a plan can be etched is far better than a walk out. we all support your calls for a bigger piece of the pie , hopefully some pie is left when you come back!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DirtySexyJ,
Posts: 198 | Location: Hollywood | Registered: 19 October 2007
Originally posted by Julianne: The strike begins Monday 12:01 AM. WGA wants to settle but no one's budging on the DVD and web residuals issue.
Any one else find it terribly ironic that DVD and internet options are what the writers are striking about? Seems counter productive on both ends considering that the longer the strike goes the less episodes there are to get paid for when their show is put on DVD.
How lonely will a 3 disc Heroes season 2 DVD set look next to the glorious 7 disc season 2 set?
I believe the followin is the WGA's key issues:
Homevideo residuals. The WGA's seeking a doubling of the base rate for calculating payouts, from 20% to 40%; the AMPTP's resisting. Handel believes the WGA's put so much stock in this issue that it will achieve an increase to 25% or 30%; Samnick predicts the companies won't give in, since the increase would have to be included in the new pacts for the DGA, SAG and IATSE.
New-media residuals. The WGA's seeking 2.5% of receipts, while the AMPTP wants to expand the definition of Internet residuals, which are currently set at 1.2% for limited use, with the homevid formula for permanent use. "I think this may be the single toughest issue to resolve," Bierman said.
Made for new media. The WGA's seeking jurisdiction, with TV minimums applying -- pro-rated in one-minute increments with a two-minute floor -- with residuals paid for even the first use. The AMPTP's asking for the status quo, which includes pension and health contributions.
Promotional use. The WGA's asking for residuals on any use of streaming video; the AMPTP's put up especially strong resistance, asserting promotional use of its property is essential to keeping the biz healthy and for maintaining TV audiences.
Reality TV. The WGA's asking for coverage of reality, and the AMPTP's resisting. The WGA has insisted that this remains a key issue, but its strike rules don't bar members from working in reality. "The Guild has signaled it will not press this issue," Handel said. "I think reality is dead as a matter of WGA jurisdiction."
The CW. The WGA's seeking network minimums and residuals for the CW, while the AMPTP wants to keep the current lower rates. Handel believes little increase is likely, though some kind of intermediate rates -- much like the gradual rate increases granted for work done for Fox in the 1990s -- could be imposed.
Term of the agreement. The WGA is seeking three years, and the AMPTP wants four. Handel believes it will be a three-year deal to keep the WGA expiration aligned with the DGA and SAG deals -- both which expire June 30.
