As contract talks with the AMPTP are set to begin this morning, the WGA is sharing a new video with members on what to expect in the coming weeks amid an expected media blackout at negotiations.
“During these first two weeks, your negotiation committee and guild staff will meet with company representatives at AMPTP headquarters in Sherman Oaks,” Kay Cannon, a member of the guild negotiation committee, tells members in the video. “We will focus on getting our proposals to the studios and you won’t hear from us unless there’s something consistent to report.
“There may be rumors or leaks to the press as to what is going on in this room. Take these with a grain of salt,” she adds. “They’re probably coming out of the studios and meant to startle or distract you and undermine our strength at the table. We know it can be frustrating not knowing exactly what’s happening in this space when the stakes are so high, but we’re just getting started and we won’t take collective action without your input and approval.
“At the end of those two weeks, around early April, we’ll be back with a report on the status of the negotiations and what next steps we think are necessary before our contract expires on May 1,” Kanone says. “Until then, we ask for your patience and thank you for the trust that we will fight for all of us.”
watch the video Here.
In an accompanying message, the guild’s negotiating committee said that “studios spend billions of dollars to produce the content we create and reap tens of billions in profits. These profits are at the expense of authors who do not keep up. That has to change now. Our goal is a contract that allows writers to maintain a sustainable career and be fairly compensated for the work we do. Our suggestions are reasonable and we hope studios take them seriously. You won’t hear much from us during these first few weeks of negotiations, but we’ll be in touch as soon as we have important news.”
RELATED: Studios say goal is to keep ‘production active’ as WGA-AMPTP talks begin
On Sunday, the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers issued a statement saying, “The AMPTP companies are addressing these negotiations and those that follow, with the long-term health and stability of the industry as our priority. We are all partners in planning the future of our company together and are fully committed to reaching a mutually beneficial agreement with each of our negotiating partners. The goal is to keep production going so we can all keep working and continue to bring consumers the best entertainment product on earth.”