For reasons that are still unclear, the Studios and Networks have chosen to walk from the table.
Here's the letter just sent to WGA members from John Bowman, Chairman of the Negotiation Committee.
Today, after three days of discussions, the AMPTP came back to us with a proposal that included a total rejection of our proposal on Internet streaming of December 3.
They are holding to their offer of a $250 fixed residual for unlimited one year streaming after a six-week window of free use. They still insist on the DVD rate for Internet downloads.
They refuse to cover original material made for new media.
This offer was accompanied by an ultimatum: the AMPTP demands we give up several of our proposals, including Fair Market Value (our protection against vertical integration and self-dealing), animation, reality, and, most crucially, any proposal that uses distributor’s gross as a basis for residuals. This would require us to concede most of our Internet proposal as a precondition for continued bargaining. The AMPTP insists we let them do to the Internet what they did to home video.
We received a similar ultimatum through back channels prior to the discussions of November 4. At that time, we were assured that if we took DVD’s off the table, we would get a fair offer on new media issues. That offer never materialized.
We reject the idea of an ultimatum. Although a number of items we have on the table are negotiable, we cannot be forced to bargain with ourselves. The AMPTP has many proposals on the table that are unacceptable to writers, but we have never delivered ultimatums.
As we prepared our counter-offer, at 6:05 p.m., Nick Counter came and said to us, in the mediator’s presence: “We are leaving. When you write us a letter saying you will take all these items off the table, we will reschedule negotiations with you.” Within minutes, the AMPTP had posted a lengthy statement announcing the breakdown of negotiations.
We remain ready and willing to negotiate, no matter how intransigent our bargaining partners are, because the stakes are simply too high. We were prepared to counter their proposal tonight, and when any of them are ready to return to the table, we’re here, ready to make a fair deal.
John F. Bowman
Chairman, WGA Negotiating Committee
Contract 2007
Producers Would Rather Walk Than Talk
Friday, December 7, 2007 by pp
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3 comments:
you want reality and animation writers to be unionized then unionize them yourselves. If they dont want to be union, then they dont have to be union. Do your job as union organizers and get 50 plus one of them to sign on, otherwise take it off the table. It is illegal for management to unionize their workers, it have to happen from the bottom up.
Hey, David:
To answer your question, it's frustratingly more complicated than that. As an animation writer who has served on an animation organizing group, I can tell you that there are well above fifty members who want to be covered by the WGA. The problem isn't getting the writers to sign on; it's getting the AMPTP to agree to it. (And at this point I could insert a long dissertation on the history of animation, but it'd be really boring.)
The short response is the AMPTP usually says: "animation has never been covered, why should it be covered now?"
Meantime, shows I wrote 6 years ago run every day of the week; characters I created are turned into plush stuffed toys; McDonald's sells show-themed happy meals and for all that, I receive bupkis. Is that how you spell bupkis? We have no health insurance, get no residuals, and don't have a guaranteed minimum wage.
So not to worry -- WGA's management isn't coercing the animation writers into anything. They are doing what we've asked them to do -- they're trying to get us covered.
I hope that helps.
"For reasons that are still unclear…," Why are the reasons unclear that the Studios and Networks would choose to walk from the table? This is, and has been, a hostile negotiation that we have been observing.
The AMPTP’s stance is very simply, ‘Why should we give the writer’s what they want, when we can simply break them and make them take what we want to give them?’ This is the AMPTP’s only reason and this is why this will be a long strike and all those who work in our industry should take note and plan accordingly. Allow me to make a few suggestions.
I. Prioritize your bills:
• Housing
• Phone
• Insurance
• Food
• Gas
II. Encourage Community:
• Spaghetti Night’s every Sunday (This will help get you through the week)
• Go to the Picket lines all week long
• Start Fundraisers for yourselves and those less fortunate than you
• Start an awards ceremony for the best strike related videos on the web of 2007, and then start planning for the end of 08’.
III. Get Political:
I know it sounds silly but write your congressperson. Then write to your governor. Then write to the city council. Then write and write and write… until you honestly cannot think of anyone else to write too. Then pick up the phone and call your moms and pops (They may not be able to help you end the strike but they might know somebody who can get you a part time job.)
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