A crucial meeting between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) concluded on Thursday with an official statement from the Negotiating Committee. The talks centered on a range of pressing issues, including artificial intelligence (A.I.) and data transparency.
“DEAR MEMBERS,
The WGA and AMPTP met for bargaining today and will meet again tomorrow. Your Negotiating Committee appreciates all the messages of solidarity and support we have received the last few days, and ask as many of you as possible to come out to the picket lines tomorrow.”
The negotiations commenced at 8:30 a.m. and extended until 6 p.m., held at the AMPTP’s offices located in the Sherman Oaks Galleria. Key topics addressed during the session encompassed the WGA’s top priorities, particularly those related to A.I. and residual compensation tied to the success of individual streaming projects. The AMPTP is led by Carol Lombardini and the WGA is represented by Chris Keyser, David A. Goodman and Ellen Stutzman.
Once again, Disney CEO Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, and NBCUniversal Studio Group chairman and chief content officer Donna Langley, sat in the session. This level of executive involvement is atypical, as companies typically delegate labor relations executives for negotiations. But their appearances underscored the urgency of finding a resolution to a strike that stands at 143 days and is fast approaching the record for the longest strike ever, 154 days set in 1988.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter and TheWrap, much of the day was spent with both parties alternating between joint meetings and separate powwows, where labor and management met privately.
REELated:
Sources from the studio side of the negotiations disclosed that progress was made on both fronts, but further work remains to be done, particularly regarding streaming transparency and compensation calculations. The measurement of success in the streaming realm emerged as a significant point of contention during the talks. Notably, A.I. remains a challenging issue for both negotiating parties.
The executives’ participation, coupled with a joint statement issued by the WGA and the AMPTP, had sparked some optimism among industry observers that a deal might be within reach. However, Thursday’s negotiations ultimately concluded without a formal agreement, despite reports of compromises being considered.
Deadline reports that both the AMPTP and WGA received calls from California Governor Gavin Newsom today. While assuming no official role in the negotiations, Newsom did say he was “checking in.”
For Reel 360 News’ full strike coverage, click here.
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