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After a long period of negotiations, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has come back with a strong response to the recent proposal from studios and streaming companies aimed at ending the writers strike. In their message, the guild recounts how talks had progressed and then hit a wall after 113 days of the strike.
The WGA explains that they received an invitation to meet with industry bigwigs like Bob Iger, Donna Langley, Ted Sarandos, David Zaslav, and Carol Lombardini. The message accompanying the invitation conveyed a sense of urgency to put an end to the strike and suggested that the companies were finally ready to strike a deal.
But things didn't quite go as expected during the meeting. The guild notes that instead of a constructive discussion, the CEOs and the head of AMPTP seemed more intent on pushing their single counteroffer. Leaders of the WGA, namely Ellen Stutzman, David Goodman, and Chris Keyser, felt that this counteroffer fell short in addressing the core issues that led to the strike. They point out limitations, loopholes, and omissions in the proposal that didn't adequately protect the interests of the writers.
The WGA sent an email to its membership informing them of the latest developments. The email goes on to describe how the meeting appeared to be less about negotiating and more about pressuring the guild into accepting the companies' terms. Interestingly, the AMPTP wasted no time in releasing a summary of their proposals shortly after the meeting concluded. This move, according to the WGA, seemed to be part of a strategy by the companies to manipulate the situation in their favor rather than genuinely working towards a resolution. The guild expresses disappointment in what they see as a divisive strategy by the companies, suggesting that they are trying to create rifts within the guild's membership. They underline their commitment to prioritizing writers' interests and fixing the industry's underlying issues that triggered the strike.
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Toward the end of the email, the WGA promises a more detailed update on the negotiations' status soon. They encourage their members to continue showing solidarity by participating in picket lines, emphasizing the importance of unity in the face of what they perceive as the companies' attempt to sow discord.
In essence, the WGA's response to the studios and streamers' proposal underscores their frustration with the meeting's approach, their reservations about the adequacy of the counterproposal, and their determination to stand united against what they view as tactics to divide them. The email showcases the ongoing tension between the guild and the industry players, indicating that a resolution to the strike isn't within immediate reach.
