L’Art Magazine

The WGA (Writers Guild of America) has finally reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) after a grueling five-month standoff. The AMPTP, somewhat akin to a super-villain in this narrative, can’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet, as the WGA is standing firm in solidarity with SAGAFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists). In an unprecedented move, the writers have directed the pens to stay down until their fellow union members secure a fair agreement as well.

In a curious turn of events just days before the deal was reached, Disney CEO Bob Iger was spotted having dinner with none other than music legend Paul McCartney at a Beverly Hills restaurant. Images of this encounter made their way into the exclusive Whatsapp showrunner group, and it didn’t take long for the memes to flood in. Among the many amusing creations, a particularly memorable one featured a whiskey bottle named ‘writer’s tears.’ While the showrunners didn’t actually send Iger and McCartney whiskey, they did raise a symbolic toast with a note attached, stating, “Expectantly, from the showrunners of Hollywood.”

Details of the newly attained deal by the WGA have not been made public yet. Guild leadership has described the agreement in poetic terms, using phrases like “exceptional” and “meaningful gains and protections for writers.” However, the contract still needs to be ratified. This deal, reached on September 24th, is a significant step forward from the guild’s previous meeting in August, which ended with the guild representatives expressing their disappointment in a late-night message to members. The guild negotiating committee shared their frustration, stating, “We were met with a lecture about how good their single and only counteroffer was.” This exchange sparked a standoff over counteroffers, further escalating tensions.

Following the August 22 meeting, showrunners and even the head of the teamsters began to pressure the WGA’s negotiating committee. The intention was not to show aggression towards the WGA but rather to emphasize the vital need to revive the industry and prevent members from losing their homes. Finally, on the evening of September 10, the deep freeze between the studios and the guild began to thaw. Keyser, the head of the WGA negotiation committee, had phone conversations with industry influencers like Zaslav, Iger, Sarandos, and Langley. These discussions were described as honest and direct, lasting for over an hour. The commitment from the CEOs and executives to remain in the room until a deal was struck became essential to fulfilling their objective of restoring productivity and averting lasting damage to the industry.

However, the executives’ dedication to staying until an agreement was achieved faced challenges on September 21. The CEOs believed they were on the brink of reaching common ground, with the studio group presenting a package addressing the guild’s key concerns. Their offer included provisions for minimum staffing in writers’ rooms, protections against artificial intelligence (AI) encroachment, and success-based residuals for streaming. In a surprising twist, the guild introduced a late demand, seeking a deal point that would protect members if they declined to cross other unions’ picket lines. While the guild had implied this intention for weeks, it caught the CEOs off guard. This led to temporary anger and a brief departure from the negotiating table by Iger and the other executives. Zaslav expressed his frustration, emphasizing, “What are you guys doing? We’re on the 10-yard line … we’ve given you virtually everything you said you wanted.” After Keyser reached out to Iger, the discussions resumed.

Although the deal still awaits approval from the guild membership, there is hope that the studios can quickly find common ground with SAG-AFTRA. The ultimate goal is to bid farewell to the prolonged industry freeze and get everyone back to work. However, some members within the guild remain skeptical, believing that the challenges facing their profession will persist despite this breakthrough agreement.

Looking ahead, one question arises: Will artificial intelligence advance to such a level within three years that unions will once again gather at the negotiating table to argue for additional protections and safeguards?

The post “WGA Nabs A Deal With AMPTP After 5 Months of Refusing to Break The Line. Now, Pens Stay Down For Sister-Union SAGAFTRA” appeared first on the L’Art Magazine.