While rumors continued to swirl in Hollywood that both the Writers Guild of America leadership and the conglomerates had hammered out a tentative deal, WGA Negotiating Committee Chairman John F. Bowman sent an email to members late Monday that was obtained by EW.com. “While we have made important progress since the companies re-engaged us in serious talks, negotiations continue,” he said. “Regardless of what you may hear or read, there are many significant points that have yet to be worked out.”
As a result, the guild is scheduling informational meetings on both coasts this weekend to update the membership. Bowman said neither the negotiating committee, nor the WGA councils on either coast, will take action on the proposed contract until after these meetings.
Picketing is scheduled to continue this week in front of all the major studios and networks.
If the general public and the entertainment industry actually want this strike to be resolved they need to stop reporting that is almost over. I firmly believe that the writers will not sign a deal just for spite because everyone is so convinced it’s over. People tend to forget that the people doing the negotiating are pampered millionaires who don’t care if film crews and other off camera employees ever get back to work.
I somewhat agree with Thom, either pampered, or failed or failing members of thier profession… I do not typically think of writers as overly rich or pampered as a group, but the union heads are very well paid and by-and-large have stopped or given up trying to do the work of the peers they are representing. The other side of the table are cut-throat businessmen which is both an insult and compliment.
There are thousands who are not writers, actors, directors or moguls who are being adversely affected by this strike. We don’t care about your residuals. We can’t! We can no longer fight for your future when ours looks so bleak. We are losing our homes, we pulled our children out of schools and falling deeper into a debt we will never be free from. This strike and your selfishness is ruining lives and holding this town and industry hostage. I say every single person who IS financially hurt by this strike should file a class action lawsuit against the members of the AMPTP and the WGA!
Give me a break WGA! Just make a deal already. Jesus, you’ve had three months to whine and complain and how long could it possibly take to review the deal the DGA made and just agree to something! I understand the WGA wants their fair share of everything, but they have put more than just themselves out of work and I’m sure those people aren’t very supportive of the writers at this point.
I agree with Thom and Betsa. Writers weren’t exactly on welfare before this strike happened, and now all they want is more money at the cost of the shows we love.
No we are not supportive. Three months ago we stood with the writers but almost 4 months later we can’t. 12,000 WGA, but there are 200,000 non WGA who are out of work. The writers don’t care about us. Why should we care about them? The WGA has over exceeded it’s time and now they are just being selfish. I can’t support a strike that is killing me!
Its all fun and games until someone loses a house
Besta, Most people make career decisions based on their and their family’s futures. It is unfortunate that your job depends on others in the industry, but you can’t expect the writers to base their futures on whether or not you are out of work. I don’t think you would make a career decision based on whether a caterer may or may not lose their contract to feed a cast and crew. I do feel bad for you and I would support any fund to help support those in your situation, but you have to base you decisions on your own needs.
I,for one, have had too many negative dealings with union leaders to hope this strike will be resolved any time soon.They are too interested in their personal reputations as ‘tough’ union bosses to give in easily. Unfortunately, this causes undue suffering for the rank and file members, and ultimately results in achieving less than hoped for. Everyone, except the top brass on both sides is hurt by an extended strike, but these executives, despite their protests, care very little for the hard working people they all claim to be so concerned about. Get on with it, and settle this strike! To continue is both petulant and childish. Both sides are equally to blame and the innocent have suffered long enough.
I with Betsa. I work in the industry and as lucky and young as I am to not have kids or a mortgage I’m still getting hit hard financially. The majority of these writers may not be rich or wealthy by any means, but its apparent that there definitely selfish and greedy.
*Frank, how dare you stand next to them in the beginning. I would never do such a thing I knew where this was headed, it was going towards a long cold one. Working for someone else has never entitled someone to a share of the profits.
*Shark, I have no idea what you do for a living although Im pretty sure your a writer or some kind of WGA supporter, if so take a long walk off a steep cliff and die a horrible death. Things between me and people like you will never be the same.
I find it interesting that those non-writers who are out of work because of the strike are blaming the writers and telling them to “just agree to something” and end the strike so everyone else can get back to work. Is it the fault of the WGA for striking, or is it the fault of the AMPTP for not giving the WGA a decent deal? Why not demand that the AMPTP “just agree to something” so that everyone can go back to work? To illustrate, here are some previously posted comments, altered to target the AMPTP rather than the WGA:
“Give me a break, AMPTP! Just make a deal already…You’ve had three months to hem and haw and how long could it take to review the terms of the WGA and just agree to something!”
“The AMPTP has over exceeded its time and now they are just being selfish.”
It seems that everyone wants the WGA to take the last three months of taking a stand, and in the end throw it all away and cave to the conditions of the AMPTP. “Just kidding, we don’t really want more money.”
Tony, Would you go back to work if it meant two other people would be out of work? Of course not; you’re looking out for YOUR OWN needs. As for the personal attacks, “take a long walk off a steep cliff and die a horrible death,” grow-up…
Steve – I think that the WGA mishandled the negotiations in the beginning. They came on too strong with too much bravado. For most of the strike nobody was talking. I also think that the moguls used the strike to push their own personal agendas. I hate the moguls. I think that they are greedy blood suckers. Having said that, the WGA needs to understand that so long as the moguls have the money, they hold the power. They buy the scripts and fund every aspect of a tv show or movie. That’s just the way it is. Until the writers own studios and networks nothing will ever change.
There’s obviously a lot of resentment building, where there once was support. The truth is that we all depend on each other. Those of us who work in the industry work side by side and depend on one another to get the job done. Without pre production there is no post production and visa versa. The writers need to take the deal they can live with even if it isn’t the best deal. Otherwise, you are sacrificing the rest of us for your own selfish gains.
Shark,
You grow up you whiney little spoiled brat. I bet your a little trust fund baby aren’t you? You and your “brothers” all decided to end your careers the day you stopped working and instead decided to hold up wooden signs and stroke each others ego’s all day long at everyone else’s expense.
No one cares about your story there’s only 12,000 of you and 200,000 of us, things will never be the same. What the day you go back to work you think everyone on set is going to run up to you and give you a hug? Get real.