Hard news, at last, from both the WGA and the AMPTP (courtesy of – who else? – Nikki Finke):
(Keep refreshing for the latest…)
THURSDAY PM UPDATE: I’m told WGA negotiators are still waiting for the other “half” of the AMPTP’s New Media proposals (the half that presumably contains the terms on ESTs, electronic sell-throughs) which agent Bryan Lourd said should be in their hands by Tuesday if not before. Then the writers will make a counter-offer to producers on Tuesday. Here’s the WGA West and East email to members critical of today’s AMPTP offers:
To Our Fellow Members,
After four days of bargaining with the AMPTP, we are writing to let you know that, though we are still at the table, the press blackout has been lifted.Our inability to communicate with our members has left a vacuum of information that has been filled with rumors, both well intentioned and deceptive.
Among the rumors was the assertion that the AMPTP had a groundbreaking proposal that would make this negotiation a “done deal.” In fact, for the first three days of this week, the companies presented in essence their November 4 package with not an iota of movement on any of the issues that matter to writers.
Thursday morning, the first new proposal was finally presented to us. It dealt only with streaming and made-for-Internet jurisdiction, and it amounts to a massive rollback.
. . .
In their new proposal, they made absolutely no move on the download formula (which they propose to pay at the DVD rate), and continue to assert that they can deem any reuse “promotional,” and pay no residual (even if they replay the entire film or TV episode and even if they make money).
The AMPTP says it will have additional proposals to make but, as of Thursday evening, they have not been presented to us. We are scheduled to meet with them again on Tuesday.
. . .
The AMPTP’s intractability is dispiriting news but it must also be motivating. Any movement on the part of these multinational conglomerates has been the result of the collective action of our membership, with the support of SAG, other unions, supportive politicians, and the general public. We must fight on, returning to the lines on Monday in force to make it clear that we will not back down, that we will not accept a bad deal, and that we are all in this together.
Patric M. Verrone, President, WGAW
Michael Winship, President, WGAEUPDATE: Here’s the AMPTP official statement from Talks Day #4:
LOS ANGELES, November 29, 2007 – “The AMPTP today unveiled a New Economic Partnership to the WGA, which includes groundbreaking moves in several areas of new media, including streaming, content made for new media and programming delivered over digital broadcast channels.
The entire value of the New Economic Partnership will deliver more than $130 million in additional compensation above and beyond the more than $1.3 billion writers already receive each year. In response, the WGA has asked for time to study the proposals. While we we strongly preferred to continue discussions, we respect and understand the WGA’s desire to review the proposals. We look forward to resuming talks on Tuesday, December 4.
We continue to believe that there is common ground to be found between the two sides, and that our proposal for a New Economic Partnership offers the best chance to find it.”
Sigh. Well, at least the incendiary rhetoric has been (largely) left aside. Again, not the news I’d been hoping for, but I appreciate that the statements are as … measured as they are.
To the AMPTP, thanks for coming back to the table and for promising to deliver an additional component to your proposal. Now please show us that this isn’t just a PR move; please continue to bargain in good faith and please amend your proposals to ensure that you are treating your writers with the respect and appreciation they deserve. Those of us who consume your content and those staffers and crew members who have been left in the cold by this strike will thank you.
To the fans, actors, teamsters and writers out there, keep the pressure on and stay strong. Those of you who create the shows we love deserve praise, respect and a fair contract, and I can only hope you don’t have to wait much longer to get it.
“And so shines a good deed in a weary world…”
Don’t make us regret having a teensy bit of faith in you AMPTP.
Thanks Ms. I and Nikki for all the info and your diligence.
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Indeed, WGA, stay strong!
The AMPTP press release esentially said they were offering the writers as a union a 10% pay increase for all additional use of their material, regardless of profits made (“more than $130 million in additional compensation above and beyond the more than $1.3 billion writers already receive each year”).
As was noted, the absence of “fighting” language is appreciated and some kind of step forward. UNfortunately, the AMPTP offer is meager compared with the multi-billion dollar industry intellectual property rights the writers are being asked to give up.
Let’s hope it was just a lowball bluff on the part of the AMPTP to see what would happen.
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