WGA vs Studios: 10 Hours Negotiation Ends In Deadlock As Writers Strike Continues
By Afouda Bamidele on September 22, 2023 at 9:30 AM EDT
There's seemingly no end in sight for the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike as their second day of negotiations with major Hollywood CEOs ended in a deadlock. Despite that, sources close to the situation have emphasized that both parties are eager to build on any momentum achieved and are committed to reaching a deal.
The WGA Strikes Continue As Negotiations Between The Affected Parties Enter Its Third Day
Information coming from an anonymous CNN source claimed that striking writers and the Hollywood studio heads have wrapped up a "marathon session" of negotiations without reaching a deal on Thursday evening.
Although there was progress during these intense talks that lasted for over ten hours, no agreement has been reached to end the Hollywood work stoppage. According to an email sent to members by the WGA negotiating committee, both the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers [AMPTP] are scheduled to meet again on Friday.
In the email, the Negotiating Committee expressed gratitude for the outpouring of solidarity and support received in recent days and urged as many members as possible to join the picket lines the following day.
AMPTP studio heads, Disney CEO Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, and NBCUniversal studio chairman Donna Langley resumed negotiations with the WGA on Wednesday. Following the meeting's end, they issued a rare joint statement indicating that discussions would continue the following day, signaling some progress.
The WGA strike began on May 2 and reached its 143rd day on Thursday, approaching the union's historical record of 154 days set in 1988. Many productions had already halted before the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists [SAG-AFTRA] joined the writers' strike on July 14.
Both sides share similar demands, such as improved wages, job protections against the use of artificial intelligence, and residuals from streaming services for work done. For a deeper dive, the WGA has presented an innovative proposal involving residuals tied to viewership.
The group suggested that for every 2.5 million views, there would be an increase, with a "view" defined as someone watching at least half of the content. Additionally, the WGA has stood firm on its demand for establishing a minimum staff size for every TV show, with the size scaling up based on the number of episodes in a season.
On the other hand, the AMPTP argued that staffing decisions should be left to the discretion of the showrunner rather than adhering to a rigid, one-size-fits-all formula. While the studio alliance has maintained this stance, there might be some potential flexibility in their offer, although the details remain undisclosed.
Drew Barrymore Was Dragged For Her Earlier Decision To Continue Airing Talk Show Amid The Strike
As the strike continues, many celebs have taken the bold step of temporarily halting their programs pending when things return to normal. Unfortunately, others like Barrymore, had to be publicly criticized before taking a decision to pause theirs.
The actress had faced backlash after she shared her plans to release more episodes of her eponymous show. Six days after the uproar — the biggest one yet, she returned with an update, issuing an apology for hurting people with her previous decision. The 48-year-old, who was dubbed disloyal and out of touch by critics, took to her Instagram where she penned:
"I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show's premiere until the strike is over. I have no words to express my deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who works on the show and has made it what it is today. We really tried to find our way forward. And I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry soon."
The announcement was reshared by fellow entertainer Rosie O'Donnell on her own Instagram page, alongside the caption, "perfect ❤️." In case you missed it, the 61-year-old comedian was one of the first people who called Barrymore out, asking her to show more respect to the WGA.
"Stop taping the show. Stop asking audiences to cross the picket line. Then ask someone to help you craft three declarative sentences. They should follow along these lines: I made an error. I apologize to the WGA for disrespecting the work of professional writers. I apologize to all union members who are withstanding real hardship as I live a life of luxury," O'Donnell's Instagram warning statement read.
