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What everyone already knew is now in a letter which WGAE President Michael Winship and WGAW President Patric Verrone sent to members tonight:
As Negotiating Committee Chair John Bowman wrote you last night, we are continuing to negotiate the terms of a tentative agreement with the AMPTP. We anticipate that we will be able to present the terms of that agreement to you in the next few days. In order to have a full discussion with you of the terms and how they were reached, and in order to get your input before making recommendations or decisions, we have scheduled membership meetings for current-active members only for this Saturday, February 9, in New York and Los Angeles.
The New York meeting will take place at 2 pm ET in the Broadway Ballroom of the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Times Square, 1606 Broadway (Broadway and 49th Street).
The Los Angeles meeting will take place at 7 pm PT in the Shrine Auditorium (665 W. Jefferson Blvd.).
We urge you to attend. We have gotten to this point in our negotiation as the direct result of the power of this strike, which each of you has generated. Neither the Negotiating Committee, nor the East Council or the West Board, will take action on any contract until after the membership meetings are held and your voices have been heard. We are all in this together.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Simon you “hear there are ways to follow traffic online?” Really? Sounds like you’ve spent lots of time researching the issues so you can make an informed vote.
simon please dont miss your niece`s wedding.go suck all of the air out of that room so we may live
This leadership has risked more and pushed farther than any other entertainment union in recent history. We can “believe,” “suspect,” “feel” anything we want about the individual terms. All fine and well. I’m always up for a good teeth-gnashing.
Bottom line though: what was achievable? What was realistic? I’ll be interested to hear. I trusted this leadership while it withstood the pressure of so-called moderates (a much smaller group than has been reported), and I will trust it when the inevitable backlash occurs from the lunatic “screw the Oscars” fringe.
We elected this slate to be strong, even militantly so. Clearly they’ve done that. Just because the deal MIGHT NOT contain everything they wanted or asked for, doesn’t mean that they failed.
The wish for perfection among some of these comments amounts to a death wish – because in practice, it would mean blowing up our negotiating team, starting over, extending the strike ad infinitum … in other words, suicide.
Stay united. Stay strong. And, I don’t know, try listening before making any nutty judgments …
Thanks Nikki for your great updates and coverage. We’ll know if it’s a fair deal when we see it. I don’t expect it to be perfect. I know I won’t get everything I want, and I expect a lot of give and take. But if it’s a fair enough offer I see on Saturday, then for me it’s time to move on, and not worth spending another 3 to 6 months continuing to strike. I’m not going to get worked up until I have the facts in front of me.
It seems like a lot of the friction here is because no one really knows WHAT the plan is for Saturday. I don’t really understand myself why they’re waiting until Saturday, unless it’s to get lawyers to translate legalese or something.
But it sounds to me like a lot more people would be happy if they knew for sure that they ALL would be included in a vote if they come to that meeting. That sounds only fair.
I’d like to think on the bright side and hope that the WGA leaders wouldn’t waste anyone’s time unless they ironed out a decent deal. Does anyone know for sure that the deal will suck? I just hope it’s a good one to start so this mess can be over.
I understand where Simon is coming from, though a bit misguided.
I actually have a background in new media and I find any deal that gives the studios a 17-24 day promotional window to be a complete disaster not only for the WGA, but for the future of ALL CONTENT creators. I have no friggin’ idea what the DGA was thinking. But this will come back to bite them in the ass. No question.
Even dropping it to ten days is still ten days too many!
I spent yesterday contacting web producers under contract at the studios for their opinions on the this promotional window.
I was met with nothing but laughs.
Oh, and Simon– be prepared to be VERY disappointed.
The DVDs were not brought back into the negotiations.
Sorry man. I guess we’re willing to throw away the next 5-10 years?
As for your idea that the promotional window is enough time for studios to make their ancillary online ad dollars and then pull the content in time for the content to retain some value as part of a DVD release– WOW!
That would SUCK.
But now that you mention it, that’s exactly what I’d do if I were at
the studios and was given a two -three week period to do whatever I choose with content.
Last I checked 2% of nothing is nothing. . . (that was actually a quote
from a new media exec at a leading ad agency I contacted yesterday!)
Kristen
P.S.– Simon, anyone who lost 350k, probably has a nice fat cushion and can stay out on strike for another 3-6 mos. That’s where you lost me, man. No cushion here,but if the deal sucks…
Below the Line wrote: “TV viewership is WAY down on regular tv”
No. Network viewership is down. Overall TV viewership is up (not counting the strike). The media conglomerates just decided it’s in their best interests (?!) to divide the viewers among 400 channels than 3. Six companies own basically every channel.
You are right; there are more people involved in making a movie and/or TV shows. The similarity is that the writer creates the idea and hammers out the details. You may feel like once the studio buys the script then it’s not the writer’s anymore. That’s not the way it works. The writer is usually involved through most of the production. Any time Bard Pitt isn’t happy with his dialog, a writer has to change things to fit the situation. Just like any other industry, when prices go up so do the wages. Their contract is up and they are due for a raise.
Thousands are out of work due to the WGA. It’s the writer’s strike not the AMPTP strike. The WGA walked off the job, regardless of negotiation tactics by both sides – only one side left their post. That was the WGA and that is the way it will always be remembered by BTL. Just like the ’88 and ’81 strikes – BTL doesn’t remember the issues or who walked away for a month over what is now regarded by most WGA members as “bargaining chips” (animation, reality). They remember that the writers put them out of work and now they’re doing it again.
Now some WGA members will try to sell it as preserving all unions fates. What a bunch of crap. DGA has struck only once for 5 minutes and they still seem to be strong with great benefits and salary. By the way 4 of the 5 DGA members on a show collect residuals – so to say the DGA doesn’t care about residuals is just ignorance.
Protecting the health of the P&H funds. Another load of crap. The only way those pensions fail is if they pay out more than what is put in annually or they are mis-managed. Last I checked, my pension is based on how much I contribute. Which, due to the WGA, is short about $40k. Think the WGA getting residuals will make up that $40k? Thanks for helping out my pension WGA.
Health Plan is a bit different. AMPTP contributed residual amounts sure take a bite out of the overall costs of rising health care. But BTL have to maintain minimum hours each quarter to even qualify. Since the WGA were so gracious to “preserve unions and their benefits” most BTL didn’t qualify for 1st quarter health care 2008 and 2Q isn’t looking good either.
Like it or not BTL will always remember 2007 as the year the WGA put them out of work through the holidays. Instead of WGA staying on the job and working through the negotiating and then if that failed go out with SAG in June when you had even more power. WGA east’s newspaper folks worked for 2 years under an expired contract with the WGA.
So now what? WGA put so much trust in the Neg Com and leadership- members owe it to them to go listen to what they have to say (I’m sure your niece will understand). But while WGA is busy planning their next “dress like Alf” on the line day or “If Joss was such a brilliant writer how come all of his old writers are now EP’s/Showrunners on network prime time shows while he’s still whining about residuals” day. Remember that each WGA member represents about 10 BTL’s that they put out of work and that WGA members owe it to BTL to think beyond their own WGA pocketbook. (I’m out $350k – please… most BTL will never see that kind of $$$$)
Show runners don’t be afraid to go back to work. The rank and file WGA members could never understand the pressure of having 200 crew members looking to you to get them back to work. Writers are looking at the 8 other writers in the writer’s room. You’re looking at the 200 people on the soundstage. There’s been no punishment for Marc Cherry or Carlton Cuse for posting their shows. (Don’t have your cast pass out food on the line in their wardrobe – it gives away when it was shot). Let’s get crews back to work.
Or WGA can continue to “Wreak Havoc”. David Young has a pretty good track record of moving industry out of the country. First Guess now CBS. I encourage every BTL to wear their Guess Jeans and Canadian Flag T-shirts on the first day back to work. That is if we ever get to go back.
I’m an outsider, but I’ve read (and read between the lines of) lots of news, blogs, official statements, contracts, etc. over the past months. I believe that once the strike started, the WGA officials, leaders, and volunteers did the best possible job they could to bring about fair compensation for their members.
Now they’re facing a real dilemma. Given the AMPTP’s finessing of the DGA negotiating committee, and given the fact that the year of so-called professional research the DGA commissioned apparently led to such a crappy deal, the WGA negotiators and board and then the membership may have to choose to accept or reject an offer without knowing for several years if that offer is an equitable one or not. I’m only an outsider, but Verrone, Young, Bowman, United Hollywood, et al. have earned my respect. If in the long run their recommendation doesn’t turn out to be the best choice, it won’t be because they didn’t try.
To “What?”
You write: “All members deserve the right to vote before it’s decided if the strike is over. There was a vote to strike and there should be a vote to call it off, too.”
Actually, there was no vote to strike. There was a vote to give the leadership the AUTHORITY to strike. It’s very different.
It was their decision, not yours or mine, whether or not to call a strike and at what time to call it. I think they made the right call, especially brilliantly doing it mid-season as opposed to waiting until June when the studios would have stocked up enough material to go for a year or more (if you think the devastation to below the line workers has been bad, and it has, think how much worse it could’ve been.)
Similarly, our elected leadership has the option to call off the strike. Not the entire membership.
But the entire membership does have the option or ability to say yes or no to the contract that is offered us. That is your right as a member. That will be the vote.
Come to the meeting if you can and speak up, or contact your board members and members of the negotiating committees (all who have been on the picket lines this week, with times posted when they will be there.) They are there to answer questions and get your opinion on matters. And remember, they are the ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES of the writers guild membership and I trust them to continue to represent us well.
I hear the AMPTP will be sending 50 cases of vaseline to the Shrine on Saturday night along with the contract, eah WGA member will receive 1 jar upon entering…
At previous meetings, it had been said “we don’t even have an offer we can cave on”.
I wonder if we’re going to get the cave-offer on Saturday?
Well I’m not caving. If it’s a bad deal- and I’m not saying it will be, but if it is- forget it. I’m voting “no”.
To those writers like “Simon” who have posted–While I appreciate your need and right to stand up for what you deserve, I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation for others in your industry. You say you have lost 350K and a pilot–and while that is huge, it sounds as if you are in a better position to take such losses. My husband is an animator who has been laid off as a result of the strike. We have been struggling just to make rent and have to choose weekly between which bills are more important to pay. He knows many in his position with families who are losing houses. But here is the difficulty–again, while I appreciate your full right to get what you deserve, you and others with your opinion that you will strike until after SAG gets involved in June, don’t realize that so many of your co-workers in the industry will be utterly destroyed if you do. It’s one thing to make a stand when it’s only yourself who will be hurt by the losses you incur. It’s quite another to make a stand that affects thousands of others and hurts them incredibly (most of whom make far less than you do) WHEN THEY HAVE NO VOICE OR SAY IN THE MATTER. My husband and his co-workers do not have a vote in the writer’s guild. Yet, they have been directly affected. You speak about getting your fair share–and normally I would agree with you. The producers are greedy bastards who seemed to want to punish labor by striking in the first place. But the time has come for this to end. If it continues, THERE SIMPLY MAY NOT BE ANY JOBS TO RETURN TO, and then what will all of this have been for? There is a tipping point that has long been passed where you have lossed far more–and the entire city has lost–far more than anything you might have gained. I hate to let the big corporate types win; I’m a political activist myself. But with so much at stake, with so many others’ futures on the line with no voice in the matter, it’s irresponsible to be so inflexible. This goes for all of you. Both sides need to end this, to give a little and compromise like adults. The survival of the entire industry is at stake, which may be irrevocably damaged if the strike were to continue much longer.
It’s better to cut your losses, if need be, than to lose everything for yourself and everyone around you. If more shows are cancelled, more seasons shifted to reality t.v.–what will any of you have won? The contract you begrudgingly agree to won’t be worth the paper it’s written on–there won’t be any jobs remaining for it to apply to. And in the meantime, those of us in the industry who depend on these shows for our daily bread will be victims of TWO bullies who simply wanted to show the other side up. I urge both sides to do the mature thing, compromise, despite all the weeks of negativity. Your and our very survival depend upon it. Be the bigger men and women. Show the producers you are strong, united, in pursuit of fairness, but not reckless to the point of self-destruction at any cost. That cost will be everyone’s future, not just yours.
May practical, calmer, mature heads prevail.
sounds like simon would rather be a “striking writer” than going back to being an “unemployed writer”.
hey
i found this on the united hollywood strike swag site. i take it this indicates the strike is either almost over or only really fat writers will still be picketing
———-
Writer’s Guild On Strike
The official strike shirt of the WGA West.
100% cotton. 100% union made.
$20 per shirt, plus shipping.
ALMOST SOLD OUT – XXL, XXXL ONLY.
lets hope the proof is in the teeshirt.
Simon-
Family should come first. Go to the wedding and enjoy yourself. Your neice will hopefully only get married once and you should be there if only for your future grandnieces and grandnephews that might ask Mommy why there’s no picture of Great-Uncle Simon in the wedding pictures.
I’m sure there’s someone with your “omnicient” view of the deal contents that can will make it to the Shrine. There are 10,000 of you. Your leadership can and will call off the strike without a formal vote. You’ll still have a chance to approve or disapprove the deal when the ballots are mailed.
Damn, Simon. Wish I had 350k to lose!
You have cloth seats in your BMW? how mid-western.
To advocate staying out until June — which likely amounts to striking well into the summer, if not fall — can only mean that the individual is either: independently wealthy; fiscally irresponsible; or doesn’t, in fact, make their living writing. For the latter instance — if you don’t pay your bills this way, then by all means indulge in all the fulminating and posturing you like, but have the grace and rectitude to abstain from casting an actual vote in a situation in which you have no direct and immediate financial stake. To do otherwise is fundamentally immoral. If this is an aspiration or hobby, something you once did or only intermittently do, and not how you regularly provide for yourself or your family, then to cast a vote to so drastically impact people whose livelihoods depend on the outcome is unconscionable. This isn’t a theoretical position. I’ve directed in the past, belong to the DGA, but haven’t worked in that capacity for years. And even when I did, recognized that, being a sideline, I had no right to cast a vote for office holders much less presume to put people out of work. I won’t vote on the DGA deal. It would be improper to do so. There are real and serious economic consequences at stake here for working writers. Have a conscience.
Below the Line, do you even work in this industry? Do you have one shred of evidence to back up this claim that “bad writing” is causing viewers to tune out?
Give me a break. Many of the best written shows and movies fail to attract an audience. Don’t tell me, let me guess, the public feels that the level of writing on “I wanna date my mama’s boyfriend” or whatever high-rated reality show is the best thing on offer out there? If you support high quality writing, then maybe you should go on a crusade to eliminate network executives, dumbed-down notes, horrible concepts, and overall interference with what we do. What a joke.
I see a lot of posts saying that you want copyright and to be paid for every viewing like an author gets paid for a book….
When a book author writes a book it is a finished product (except for bounding of the book), and a musician same (except for the mix). In the movie and tv industry the writer writes a script as an employee of the studios and then producers, directors, talent, agents, electricians, cameramen, set designers, makeup artists, hairstylists, prop people, location scouts, editors, sound mixers, visual effects compositors…on and on…bring it to life. You don’t get copyright because it is akin to a person working for Mattel and designing a toy…the design is theirs but it has to still be produced and manufactured…they don’t get any money off of each sale of each and every toy, the design and copyright belongs to Mattel. The designer designed it as an employee …get the difference?????
rHob
So Simon, let me get this straight…if a studio is still making money off of a streaming product, they are going to take it down and not stream it anymore, just because now they’ll have to pay a writer? Really, does that make any sense to you? The studios would throw away their 94% or 95% just to not give the writers their 2% and SAG their 2% and the WGA their 1%? So the studios will throw away 95% return just to screw you? Take 2 pills and call me in the morning!
rHob
“I lost 350k and a pilot”
I lost my house. My family didn’t celebrate Christmas. This has been the most miserable time in my life.
So, go fuck yourself Simon. There are plenty of people in this town who need to get back to work. Selfish prick.
Unless this deal is acceptable to SAG, we have to stay on strike anyway. If SAG is going on strike, then everything will shut down again on March 1. This meeting isn’t even scheduled until Feb. 9. There will be 2 and a half weeks left in Feb. Two weeks’ work isn’t worth settling for a crappy deal when we’re going to be out of work anyway and SAG will end up negotiating something better. It’s all up to SAG.
“It’s one thing to make a stand when it’s only yourself who will be hurt by the losses you incur.”
You realize that’s impossible, correct? There are always people affected by a strike outside of the union, THAT’S WHY STRIKES ARE EFFECTIVE. They show how important the labor of the striking group is and how far-reaching the effects are. If the Teamsters go on strike against UPS, it affects consumers and businesses who are waiting for their deliveries. If nureses go on strike against a hospital, it affects patients. If transportation workers go on strike against the city, it affects commuters. There is no way to make a stand and not affect anyone else. Transportation workers can complain about dangerous working conditions forever and be told not my problem, who cares. But the minute commuters are affected, it becomes you selfish bastards, I don’t care about your problems but how dare you not care about mine, forget yourselves, think about me, I need you.