Following a week of heated exchanges between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), negotiations have currently come to a standstill. Both sides have not scheduled any talks to return to the negotiating table, and there is no clear timetable for when discussions will resume.
Representatives for the AMPTP and WGA have declined to comment on the current status of negotiations, leaving industry insiders uncertain about the next steps. This pause in negotiations comes after the AMPTP released its first counteroffer on August 22, following the studios’ initial response in May to the WGA’s original proposal. Although the proposal included gains in residuals and AI protections, the WGA criticized it as a tactic to “jam” them, stating it was not nearly enough.
In response, the WGA sent their own counterproposal on August 15 and subsequently engaged in further negotiations. WGA leaders met with the AMPTP, as well as CEOs from Disney, Netflix, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros. Discovery, to discuss the proposal. The WGA was informed that the August 11 offer would be the companies’ “first and only counteroffer” since the strike began in May.
While the AMPTP believed their counteroffer addressed the writers’ concerns, the WGA members considered it an “unforced error.” AMPTP president Carol Lombardini emphasized the group’s commitment to ending the strike and stated that their offer met the priority concerns of the writers.
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In contrast, the WGA has not shared the specifics of their proposals since going on strike on May 2. This lack of transparency has led studio-side sources to express their eagerness for the WGA to respond and move negotiations forward. If the WGA does not provide a timely response, Lombardini has indicated that she will not allow the talks to prolong indefinitely.
Sources reveal that the AMPTP had initially planned to make their offer public on August 18 but delayed its release, anticipating that the WGA might choose to take the August 11 offer to its members. However, the WGA considered the offer as giving with one hand while taking back with the other, referring to it as a tactic in the middle of the ongoing negotiation.
This stalemate between the two sides quickly grew tense, with each party trading barbs. The exchange of criticism began shortly after a National Day of Solidarity organized by SAG-AFTRA, where members of various unions gathered at Disney. The rally, which featured speakers from the WGA, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters, Directors Guild of America, and other unions, aimed to demonstrate unity in support of better working conditions for industry professionals.
With negotiations currently at a standstill, the future of the WGA strike remains uncertain. Industry insiders eagerly await updates and hope that both sides can find common ground to continue negotiating the terms that will benefit all stakeholders involved.
