WGA Lobs Another Shot at Studios
Winship Letter Details Union’s Take on Collapse of Talks
By Linda Moss -- Multichannel News, 12/10/2007 4:56:00 AM
The striking Writers Guild of America Monday accused the studios of purposely instigating last week’s breakdown in contract negotiations, by making an ultimatum and allegedly lying to the scribes.
WGA East president Michael Winship sent a letter to his members that outlined the union’s take on Friday’s collapse of talks between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
The letter is the latest in a series of bitter and acrimonious exchanges – charges and counter charges -- back and forth between the union, which went on strike Nov. 5, and the AMPTP.
WGA East president Michael Winship Monday accused the studios of mounting a campaign “to create confusion, doubt, fear and dissension,” as well as “spending a fortune … on political spin doctors and crisis-management consultants” for the ongoing dispute.
Last Friday, the AMPTP demanded that the WGA take several demands off the table, including most of its proposed formula for new-media compensation and its quest to have jurisdiction over reality TV and animation, according to Winship.
“At this point, the talks broke down and it became crystal clear that this had been the AMPTP’s intention all along -- a press release went out from them so head-spinningly fast that it clearly had been prepared long in advance,” Winship wrote his members.
“They refuse to negotiate until we accept their ultimatum,” he wrote. “We refuse to bow to such supercilious, bullheaded intransigence, designed solely to destroy us. Yet we remain reasonable women and men willing to talk, bargain and negotiate anytime, anywhere.”
In turn, the AMPTP maintains that the WGA is making unreasonable demands regarding compensation for content on new media and for seeking jurisdiction on shows, like reality and animation, that have never been under its purview.
The WGA East will be picketing outside ABC Daytime in Manhattan, home to The View, on Tuesday.
“The four hosts of The View have been notably unsupportive of their striking writers and we intend to let them hear our dissatisfaction,” Winship said.
And on Thursday the WGA will be marching outside of Viacom’s headquarters in Manhattan.
Writers, Studios To Resume Talks Nov. 26
11/18/2007Striking WGA Sets Weekend Member Meetings
02/05/2008WGA, Studios Trade Shots Over Stalled Talks
12/07/2007No New Talks Set In TV Writers’ Strike
11/06/2007
