Exciting News: WGA and AMPTP to Resume Bargaining, Potential End to Strike
In a thrilling turn of events, the WGA and the AMPTP have agreed to resume bargaining, bringing hope for an end to the ongoing strike. In a message to members, the guild announced that Carol Lombardini, president of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, has requested a meeting with the WGA Negotiating Committee. The guild expects the AMPTP to provide responses to their proposals.
With the support of the unified WGA membership and the backing of their union allies, the committee is ready to negotiate a fair deal. The guild is optimistic about the outcome as they return to the bargaining table.
Meanwhile, the AMPTP has declined to comment on today’s news. The last meeting between the two sides took place on August 4, but no agreement was reached to resume negotiations. The strike has now surpassed the 100-day mark, making it longer than the guild’s previous action in 2007-08. If it continues for another 52 days, it will become the longest strike in WGA history.
Chris Keyser and David A. Goodman, co-chairs of the WGA’s negotiating committee, expressed their disappointment in the AMPTP’s refusal to take their reasonable proposals seriously. They hold the AMPTP and their member studios responsible for the industry shutdown and the hardships faced by workers and others dependent on this business. The cost of settling the strikes is far less than the damage caused by the studios’ intractability. The guild remains resolved and united until a fair deal is reached.
The August 4 meeting, which was meant to discuss a resumption of talks, ended on a sour note, with the guild accusing the AMPTP of following their usual playbook. The guild also accused the AMPTP of leaking details of the meeting to the press, despite emphasizing the need for a press blackout.
As negotiations continue, stay tuned for further updates on this exciting development.
