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I had predicted Hollywood could most likely expect quick and easy negotiations. And the DGA’s took just three weeks and change. And why not when your Hollywood Guilds are just rubber-stamping what crumbs the studios and networks are feeding SAG/AFTRA and DGA members despite this rapidly improving economy? The Directors Guild Of America leaders made it plain early on that they weren’t going for big wages or even a substantially better New Media deal (despite promising it would during the last bargaining go-round). Instead the DGA negotiators were focusing on increased Health Plan and Pension contributions, just like they were for SAG and AFTRA. The AMPTP’s current contributions are at 14% for the DGA, and probably go to 16.5% on the new contract if ratified. So that’s three big Guilds down, and only the Writers Guild of America still to go.
No date for the start of negotiations has yet been set for the WGA, whose contract ends May 1, 2011. But the moguls behind the AMPTP always intended to negotiate with the writers last (even though their pact was expiring sooner) to ensure there’s the most Hollywood antagonism towards them. Although SAG/AFTRA and the DGA traded information during their talks, they’ve left the WGA out in the cold. Now you can expect a lot of silly trade stories filled with false rumors about WGA “strike talk” in order to scare the Industry which in turn will pressure the writers to settle quickly. Don’t get me wrong: no one wants another strike so soon. But that also doesn’t mean that the WGA has to wimp out like the other Guilds. Excuse me, but wasn’t this year when all the Hollywood Guilds were going to join together and fight, fight, fight, for what is rightfully their share of the money pie? Anyone? Anyone?
The following statement was issued today by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP):
The Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have successfully concluded a tentative agreement on a new TV/Theatrical contract, again demonstrating the benefits of an early deal for the entire entertainment industry. These early talks allowed us to bridge the gaps created by uncertain economic times and deliver increases in areas critical to DGA members.
The DGA’s chief negotiator Gil Cates said the following:
Los Angeles – The Directors Guild of America today announced that it has concluded a tentative agreement on the terms of a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Negotiations, which began on November 16, concluded this afternoon. Details of the tentative agreement will be released once the agreement has been submitted to the Guild’s National Board for approval at a special board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 8.
The DGA’s current contracts expire on June 30, 2011.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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The Writers were the sacrificial lambs last time. It was somebody else’s turn to play hardball. Since that didn’t happen I think the WGA (of which I’m a member) should get the little we can and move on. We can’t be the punching bag for the entire industry. I say, we make like Obama and roll over.
There is no way this was written by a writer.
Yes, it was. And I’m even current on my dues. My point is this: we simply don’t have the political muscle to go on strike again by ourselves. True, the Directors would give up their first borns before calling a strike, but without the actors going out with us, it’s ridiculous to think a strike would be anything but a disaster for us. Moreover, it’s a very different financial climate than it was 3 years ago. People are hurting and we will be painted as Porsche-driving prima donnas again. What is the upside of being completely unrealistic about how things will play out?
SAG, AFTRA, and the DGA are gutless. GUTLESS. At least the WGA has some balls (I’m not a WGA member). I can’t believe the industry workers swallow shit deal after shit deal from the unions they pay dues to.
Another subpar deal that members will ratify. Why do we continue to let ourselves get screwed?
Way to sell out yet again DGA. You spineless punks. Screw you and your “Film by” credit.
This is just fucking disgusting. We, (I’m WGA but now I’m talking about the DGA and SAG) will be perpetually fucked, at least on the movie side.
The DGA really just management, thinly disguised. If you don’t press them, then nothing will happen. New media is nickles now, like home vid was 25 years ago. Does anyone really believe it’ll be easier to get the goddamn money when there’s more of it, just like with home vid? Fuck no. When they start getting their crack-like profits from new media, just like with home vid, they’ll dig in their heels MORE. Now is the time to hit them up for better percentage when it doesn’t count.
We, the WGA, are all fucking alone and our partners are geldings.
And if these surrenders weren’t bad enough, we have a Judas in our midst who is clubbing the shit out of the WGA in public. did anyone read the Hollywood Reporter Weekly (not bad actually, more in depth) where Aaron “scab” Sorkin railed against the WGA with fucking president of the guild sitting across the table from him.
Who, but a union busting scumbag would dis the WGA, saying in essence that it serves no purpose because “we have agents,” in advance of negotiations for new contract.
I guess there was no uproar because no one reads that thing, but his virulent anti union comments were shocking. And that pussy/president, John “Nevil Chamberlin” Welles’ meek rejoinders were really sad.
We are unarmed going into these talks. Raise the white flag, John. Oh, you already have.
and PS, please do not give that fucking anti union piece of rich shit, Aaron Sorkin, any awards, even if he deserves them. You cannot give this Uncle Tom a forum.
First off, honest Abe, you sound like a cloistered moron. All of the guilds participate in gross receipts pre break, meaning they do it before the filmakers make back their investment. That’s why we have ‘run-away production.’ Learn to leave something on the table for the guys that put you to work. Then they can put you to work again. But, wait, from reading your billicos moronic hate ramblings, it is obvious you are among the ranks of the chronically unemployed — and no wonder, read your own shit. I wouldn’t want you writing — writing is an artform, that requires inagination, uniqueness of thought and dialogue, and wit — you are not an artist. You are a wanna-be.
You guys never get it. There is no new media money. The strike was stupid, uninformed people destroyed job
For the whole industry. Crew people lost houses life savings, so writers lead by the worst labor leader in 50 years were sold a strike that gain nothing. Keep calling the DGA names because they are smart and actually do the research and understand that we want to create jobs not kill them as was the results from the last strike. Nikki you need to stop fanning the fire to the uninformed.
Aaron Sorkin had his head all the way up his ass during that round table. Hey Aaron, if you’re going to complain about the WGA, you should learn some damn facts. Closed union shops have been illegal since the 1940s, and you can resign your WGA membership anytime you want. You can still get all the jobs you got before.
And you’re complaining about the credit system? Sure it’s not perfect, but clearly you know very little about it. If you want to see what happens when a guild doesn’t assert its authority over credits, just look at the mess that is producer credit. Something tells me you wouldn’t be happy if some actor’s assistant got a “written by” credit.
Thanks Roberta Reardon. You’ve really set the tone for talent union negotiation in this town. now we can live by NY talent standards. By the way folks- it doesn’t really matter how many health plan increases you negotiate or how big the percentages if there’s NO RESIDUALS GOING INTO THE PLAN. idiots.
ah, Nikki, don’t know if you realize that we are still up to our knickers in recession….and ah, Nikki, it’s the proletariat in this town who are sucking the exhaust of the last writers strike to keep their heads above water.
Is the AMPTP floating your boat?
Doesn’t anyone remember when SAG worked on an expired deal for a whole year and the only concession the AMPTP gave them was a shorter deal so that they could lead the negotiations? After all their empty blather about striking (despite everyone in this town knowing they didn’t have the vote for it last time) the AMPTP gave them a meaningless concession (negotiating first this time) and they kept up the hard talk, that the writers had struck for a shit deal, and that they, the actors, the talent, deserved better terms (especially in new media) and would not rest until they got them.
With the chance to go first this time, and all of their hard talk in 08, I thought that the actors, working together between the two unions, would lay down the law (since they had the biggest problem with the 08 deal). But, they rolled over. The DGA has always seemed willing enough to follow suit (read: 2008) and the writers are tired of being the bad guys. The writers took a bullet last time and the actors didn’t like the deal it got them. Where are the actors now? Oh that’s right – they already signed a deal.
At some point unions need to realize that studios need artists to function, not the other way around.
SAG will never strike. They don’t have the fortitude as a group to sit down and look management in the eye. Plus the salary scale is completely screwed up – you have .5% making a ton, 5% surviving, and the rest making nothing. Those ~95% already aren’t working. Why would they agree to voluntarily take themselves out of the market for three months or six months or whatever so the privileged minority can just make more when the strike is over? That 95% is desperate, and they all think they’re one role away from being a star (and hell, they are). They’ll work for pennies on the dollar of what the ~5% are making. The UAW is/was powerful because all of its members are basically in the same economic boat. SAG’s problem is that the ratio between working actors and three-voucher types is out of whack. The union’s membership is too diluted, too big. SAG’s solution: merge with AFTRA and make the union even bigger! Smart move guys.
The DGA, on the other hand, has an institutional hatred of writers stemming from 100 years of on-set and development/credit issues. They want desperately to be seen as the reasonable adult to the WGA’s belligerent/intelligent troublemaking/feisty child. The AMPTP plays off of that (“you’re the reasonable ones” and “we can talk to you”) and the DGA eats it up with a spoon. Then the WGA, which is made up mostly of highly-educated loners, rages against everyone else’s complacency/stupidity and feels obliged to make waves. It’s also, unfortunately, the union with the least star power so none of the brave executives/agents/etc. who are sure to show up soon in this thread feel threatened in dogging them. Whereas none of them are going to talk shit to the Will Smiths/Steven Spielbergs of the world.
Basically the AMPTP is just smarter than us at this point – they play us off each other, and in the same way every time. And we fall for it every time. And they’ll keep doing it until the unions hate the AMPTP more than they hate each other. Will that day come? Maybe.
Hey WGA members, hows that hopey, changey thing with David Young in power working out for you?
Only an idiot would mock the WGA by using the words of Sarah Palin. As for our “hopey changey,” I dunno… how’s that “Trickley Downy” working for you? Does shilling for the AMPTP pay well? I doubt it, somehow…
Not one person here has the details of the agreement, yet thanks to Nikki’s rabble rousing and their own pathetic inclinations they’re willing to savage the DGA. Get a job losers.
Oh Nikki, fanning the (quasi) flames as ever. You must giggle with delight as the lemmings respond as you know they will…
Rapidly improving economy… LMFAO… who writes your material, Finke?
You said it plain NIKKI… but what else do you expect from some of the most gutless, corrupted trade unions in the world.
Just like they’ve done from the early 1930′s… the studios play one union off against another. If everyone stuck together, we would have it made! The motion picture/television industry is richer and more powerful now than ever! Crumbs is right… so many won’t even be alive to see a pension, let alone benefit from it.
Talk about terrorism… only HOLLYWOOD unions could call 2% raises with over 5% inflation -a good deal. In a town famous for deals… only HOLLYWOOD unions could sell their members out so cheap!
NORMA RAE where are you now?
You can just hear Matt Mulhern and Michelle Santopietro deciding that the DGA is in on the conspiracy against everyone…and posting serially above.
The DGA is made up of working professionals, not some collection of wanna-be’s employed as waiters. It’s an organization that does it’s homework before starting contract negotiations and then maintains realistic expectations, without a lot of senseless emotion. The DGA is in solid shape financially and has strongly supported reliable leadership. They provide a roadmap that others would do well to follow.
Yes, the maturity of the DGA is evident through your restraint and calm writing. Oh, wait, no, you insulted every writer out there by calling us “some collection of wanna-be’s employed as writers.” As if all any of us want to do is someday grow up to become directors. No thanks! I don’t want to have to kiss that much studio ass.
As for your solid shape financially, perhaps you’d better take a good look at how badly your pension fund did during the years of 2008-2010.
The stock market impact on the pension funds of ALL the major Hollywood unions is the main reason that all four are scrambling to take whatever they can get in this negotiation… they all desperately need to refill their pension coffers or else they’re not going to be able to pay out their pensions starting around 2015. Add in the fact that we’re in the beginnings of what’s looking to be a second Great Depression, and it’s extremely sensible to just not rock the boat. Maybe in 2014.
I said “waiter” not “writer”, you moron. You consider yourself a writer but you’re unable to read? That’s truly pathetic.
Get back to taking drink orders, but write slowly.
Let me guess…you’re a producer?
First let me say in response to the hater Honest John. No, I’m not a wanna be writer. I’m A list writer. By your lights, anyone who strongly supports the WGA is, as Sorkin said, unemployed. Any idiot can see from the last strike the leaders of the strike were very rich showrunners and A list screenwriters.
From your comments and spelling (it’s bellicose not billicos) clearly you’re an angry frustrated high school dropout. You don’t put me to work. I put myself to work.
At some point, we were all wanna be writers, actors, and directors. (Except Sorkin who has had a charmed career, a golden horseshoe up his ass). I don’t think the people who only work part-time are any less deserving of being in the unions.
I strongly support collective bargaining because every time I go to the doctor with that WGA health plan, I think about the ONE YEAR strike the WGA waged in the sixties to get health care. That’s what infuriates me about the last strike. That strike wasn’t for us. That strike was for the next generation.
How many people lost homes, careers, livelihoods in that year on strike. How many? But now decades later, we have health benefits, amazing health benefits with the WGA.
So, fuck you to all you anti union haters. As Clemenza said (thank you Frances) in GFather 1, “We gotta go to the mattresses every now and then to clean out the bad blood.”