Striking writers and Hollywood studios will return to the bargaining table Wednesday, Sept. 20, in hopes of making progress toward ending the work stoppage that began in early May.
According to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which is handling negotiations for studios, Writers Guild of America leaders reached out last week “and asked for a meeting to move negotiations forward.”
“We have agreed and are working to schedule a meeting next week,” according to the AMPTP. “Every member company of the AMPTP is committed and eager to reach a fair deal, and to working together with the WGA to end the strike.”
On Monday, WGA negotiators informed union members that the two sides will meet this week, “starting on Wednesday.”
“You might not hear from us in the coming days while we are negotiating, but know that our focus is getting a fair deal for writers as soon as possible,” according to the message sent to WGA members. “We’ll reach out again when there is something of significance to report.”
The two sides are not believed to have met at the bargaining table since mid-August.
With negotiations seemingly stalled, the WGA negotiating team issued a statement earlier this month suggesting that some traditional Hollywood studios should break ranks with the AMPTP and reach a deal directly with the writers’ union. The WGA suggested it has spoken with some studio executives who believe a deal could be quickly struck.
“So, while the intransigence of the AMPTP structure is impeding progress, these behind-the-scenes conversations demonstrate there is a fair deal to be made that addresses our issues,” according to the WGA negotiating team. “… We have made it clear that we will negotiate with one or more of the major studios, outside the confines of the AMPTP, to establish the new WGA deal.
“There is no requirement that the companies negotiate through the AMPTP. So, if the economic destabilization of their own…
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