The Business: News, Rumours, Analysis, and More

[kiddo82]

Serious question though, what's the point of even doing a con if you can't talk about work?  I've never been but isn't that the point of these panels?  I'd be kind of pissed off if I paid money to see the Shazam guy and he can't talk about it.  Or like, if Idina Menzel was at a Disney panel and she's like "Sorry guys, I can only talk about Rent.  But not the movie.  Just the stage version, to be clear."  Not ragging on the strike rules, just wondering why they wouldn't cancel these appearnaces.  I feel like it would be smarter to stay home.  I guess you are contractually obligated to show up.  Unless you just sign autographs but I imagine you can't even sign memorabilia.  

 

How does this effect those celebrities who are doing rewatch podcasts?  I assumed Office Ladies would go on hiatus but not to my knowledge.  Maybe they can burn through the episodes that are already done but can't do more until the strike is over.

Edited August 6, 2023 by kiddo82

[Guest]

1 hour ago, kiddo82 said:

Serious question though, what's the point of even doing a con if you can't talk about work?  I've never been but isn't that the point of these panels?

Yes and no. How much talk there is about specific projects is going to vary and a lot of what is talked about would still be fine. It also opened the door for celebrities to talk more about the logistics of being an actor, like the audition process and residuals. 

1 hour ago, kiddo82 said:

Not ragging on the strike rules, just wondering why they wouldn't cancel these appearnaces.

Money. For many conventions are their primary source of income. 

1 hour ago, kiddo82 said:

Unless you just sign autographs but I imagine you can't even sign memorabilia. 

They can’t provide memorabilia but they can choose to sign it if the fan provides it. 

1 hour ago, kiddo82 said:

How does this affect those celebrities who are doing rewatch podcasts?

Ones that have existing contracts for podcasts can continue them but new rewatch podcast deals can’t be signed. Most of the big ones are continuing, at least for now. 

[kiddo82]

Makes sense.  Just seems like a lot of land mines to have to side step to make it worth it.

[JustHereForFood]

W? T? F?

Disney Strikes Major Blow Against Physical Media, Stops DVD & Blu-Ray In Australia

Quote

Now, The Digital Bits reports that Disney won't be selling DVDs or Blu-ray in Australia following the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in August. This story was corroborated by 7NEWS, which says that once existing DVDs and Blu-rays are sold out in Australia, they won't be replenished by Disney any longer. Disney DVD and Blu-ray collectors will have to instead rely on overseas retailers to keep getting physical copies of Disney's later releases.

According to The Digital Bits, Disney deciding to pull physical releases from a country or region has happened in the past. Due to underwhelming sales of DVDs and Blu-rays in parts of Asia and Latin America, Disney has pulled physical releases from some countries in those regions as well. It's likely sales for physical releases in Australia simply weren't selling well enough for Disney to justify continuing to release them.

 

This is seriously not good. I still buy DVDs, in fact I have most of the Disney movies I wanted already. I do currently have Disney+ and when I want to watch some movie, I usually watch it there even if I have the DVD, since I'm lazy and it's easier and because I want to contribute to their statistics, but I like the security of having the movies in physical copies. I don't want to be dependent on the whims of streaming services or even the internet access (not to mention them not having all of their movies available in all countries). Seriously, this is a bad sign. I hope Europe is not next.

[scarynikki12]

3 hours ago, kiddo82 said:

Serious question though, what's the point of even doing a con if you can't talk about work?  I've never been but isn't that the point of these panels? 

This reminds me of the first episode of Mad Men. For those who never watched or don't remember, Don is trying to come up with a cigarette campaign idea as they are no longer allowed to pretend there are health benefits to smoking. The whole episode everyone is worried about how to advertise within the new limits and then Don realizes: they can say whatever they want. No, they can't lie and pretend smoking is good for you, but they can (and did as this was based off a real life campaign) describe how the cigarettes are made. 

For actors at cons the same is true when you look at it in a different way. No they can't violate strike rules but that opens them up to everything else. They can talk about causes they support, the details on what it means to actually become an actor and get to the point where they were able to join SAG in the first place, go into detail on why the strikes are happening in the first place as many people only know the broad strokes*, favorite places to eat and visit from the different cons, etc. When they stop looking at it as 'what can't we say' they'll realize the sky's the limit. It's hard because they're wired to always be promoting but they'll get to keep their careers.

*I would talk up the strike rule against discussing past work and how that's included because actors aren't getting shit from residuals anymore. Rosario Dawson posted the other day about residuals meant she ate fresh food when she was younger and that's no longer the case for young actors.

Amell and Levi are the only one's I've heard anything about so far so I can only assume the other actors at cons have found a way to not violate strike rules. If they are they need to be called out so the topics can change. And the cons themselves need to make it clear to the attendees (if they haven't been) that they can't ask questions about struck work because they aren't going to get an answer anyway. 

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

And the cons themselves need to make it clear to the attendees (if they haven't been) that they can't ask questions about struck work because they aren't going to get an answer anyway. 

Yeah, I hope that is happening, because actors who've been doing these for years and years are so used to the typical line of questioning and back and forth with the audience, it would be easy to, out of habit, start to answer something before remembering they can't do that.  Or to, in the midst of a perfectly acceptable comment, accidentally make a reference that's prohibited.  Slips like that I'd be very sympathetic about.

But the deliberate whining from Amell and Levi is something else entirely.

[Morrigan2575]

On 8/1/2023 at 6:50 PM, Dani said:

I’m not even following the strike closely and still know the studios have been unwilling to negotiate in good faith.  

I'm a little behind on this thread but Bradley Whitford called him out on Twitter about that, that it's the Studies that won't return to the table. 

[DearEvette]

16 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

For actors at cons the same is true when you look at it in a different way. No they can't violate strike rules but that opens them up to everything else. They can talk about causes they support, the details on what it means to actually become an actor and get to the point where they were able to join SAG in the first place, go into detail on why the strikes are happening in the first place as many people only know the broad strokes*, favorite places to eat and visit from the different cons, etc. When they stop looking at it as 'what can't we say' they'll realize the sky's the limit. It's hard because they're wired to always be promoting but they'll get to keep their careers.

This is a good point. It is also how Issa Rae approached a recent appearance on one of the morning shows. It was probably booked way in advance as part of the Barbie publicity push or possibly the new Project Greenlight season on HBO.  But instead of cancelling she chose to instead use her time to talk about the importance of mentoring in the business and how she got started. No coy references to any projects, she just talked about other things.

[BetterButter]

Overworked and Underpaid, VFX Workers Vote to Unionize at Marvel

[methodwriter85]

I thought this was an interesting case- 1970's child actress Judy Norton has been running a vlog where she talks about her time starring on the Waltons, and has gotten a lot of her former co-stars that are still alive to talk on her channel.

She's talked about the Strike and how it's affected her channel.

She later got confirmation from the Union that she can't talk about the Waltons  during the strike. She's trying to pivot to other topics.

I think it's kind of wild given the show has been entirely in the can since 1981, but I guess promotion is promotion. 

Edited August 14, 2023 by methodwriter85

[Bastet]

WGA and AMPTP set to meet tomorrow
 

Quote

The WGA and the AMPTP have agreed to resume bargaining for a deal that could end the guild’s ongoing strike.

In a message to members Thursday, the guild said that Carol Lombardini, president of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, “has asked the WGA Negotiating Committee to meet with AMPTP negotiators on Friday. We expect the AMPTP to provide responses to WGA proposals.”

“Our committee returns to the bargaining table ready to make a fair deal, knowing the unified WGA membership stands behind us and buoyed by the ongoing support of our union allies,” the guild said.

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by Bastet

[Trini]

48 minutes ago, Bastet said:

WGA and AMPTP set to meet tomorrow
 

 

I don't expect any deal that would end the strike will be made; it's a Friday. But hopefully some progress will be made.

[Bastet]

4 minutes ago, Trini said:

But hopefully some progress will be made.

Yes, hopefully AMTPT at least has some actual responses to the WGA proposal this time, and negotiation can commence.  Last time, they couldn't even manage a meeting merely intended to discuss resuming talks without resorting to their usual tactics (press leaks in advance, then spending much of the meeting talking about the need to keep talks confidential from the press, and saying that if they did resume talks, they wouldn't even engage on several issues).

[kiddo82]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/podcasts-actors-strike-1235559441/amp/

Article about Rewatch podcasts and what is/isn't cool during the strike.  For me, even if you pivot and literally talk about anything else, you're still a walking billboard for yourself.  Heck man, I was in the theater for Oppenheimer and I was watching Emily Blunt and thinking "I need to watch Devil Wears Prada again soon."  People can't help it.  Now, that's an extreme example.  It's obviously no one's fault where my brain goes.  However, when you have a celebrity simply talking and being charming, even if it's about bird watching or whatever, they're still promoting their own brand in a way.  And unless they are involved with other specific products (skin care line, alcohol, clothing line, etc.) the main way to access that brand is through a struck company.  So even if it's technically permissible, pivoting feels very letter of the law but not spirit of the law.

Edited August 11, 2023 by kiddo82

[Guest]

On 8/11/2023 at 2:48 AM, kiddo82 said:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/podcasts-actors-strike-1235559441/amp/

Article about Rewatch podcasts and what is/isn't cool during the strike.  For me, even if you pivot and literally talk about anything else, you're still a walking billboard for yourself.  Heck man, I was in the theater for Oppenheimer and I was watching Emily Blunt and thinking "I need to watch Devil Wears Prada again soon."  People can't help it.  Now, that's an extreme example.  It's obviously no one's fault where my brain goes.  However, when you have a celebrity simply talking and being charming, even if it's about bird watching or whatever, they're still promoting their own brand in a way.  And unless they are involved with other specific products (skin care line, alcohol, clothing line, etc.) the main way to access that brand is through a struck company.  So even if it's technically permissible, pivoting feels very letter of the law but not spirit of the law.

It’s a delicate line because the unions want to the studios to feel the sting of not having actors and writers to do promotion but also want the public to continue consuming media to prove the value of the actors and writers. Which is why they haven’t called for a public boycott of the struck companies. They want the people watching movies and tv shows. 

[DearEvette]

There is an unconfirmed rumor floating around twitter that the reason the AMPTP is willing to go back to negotiations is because Netflix is leading the charge. Apparently they are anxious to get Stranger Things back to production.  
 

Like I said only a rumor. But I can understand if it is true. Even if there is a time jump, the age and appearance of the main cast might well influence how much of a time jump they need to have. For instance, Priah Ferguson who plays Erica was 14 playing an 11 year old last season.  She'll be 17 in October. So yeah time is not their friend on this.

[Anduin]

17 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

There is an unconfirmed rumor floating around twitter that the reason the AMPTP is willing to go back to negotiations is because Netflix is leading the charge. Apparently they are anxious to get Stranger Things back to production.  
 

Like I said only a rumor. But I can understand if it is true. Even if there is a time jump, the age and appearance of the main cast might well influence how much of a time jump they need to have. For instance, Priah Ferguson who plays Erica was 14 playing an 11 year old last season.  She'll be 17 in October. So yeah time is not their friend on this.

Yeah, I remember seeing a tweet from one of the Duffer brothers. "These kids aren't getting any younger." The perils of working with a young cast, I suppose.

Whatever breaks through to the AMPTP, that's good.

[Jaded]

Billy Porter Says ‘I Have to Sell My House’ Due to SAG Strike, Curses Out Disney CEO Bob Iger: ‘I’m So Enraged’

[Spartan Girl]

6 hours ago, DearEvette said:

There is an unconfirmed rumor floating around twitter that the reason the AMPTP is willing to go back to negotiations is because Netflix is leading the charge. Apparently they are anxious to get Stranger Things back to production.  
 

Like I said only a rumor. But I can understand if it is true. Even if there is a time jump, the age and appearance of the main cast might well influence how much of a time jump they need to have. For instance, Priah Ferguson who plays Erica was 14 playing an 11 year old last season.  She'll be 17 in October. So yeah time is not their friend on this.

Well, gosh, they should have made the deal in the first place because then we wouldn’t be in this position! 😤😤😤😤😤😤😤

5 hours ago, Jaded said:

Billy Porter Says ‘I Have to Sell My House’ Due to SAG Strike, Curses Out Disney CEO Bob Iger: ‘I’m So Enraged’

Poor Billy. Whoever came up with the AMPTP’s strategy to basically wait until they were all broke and starving deserves to burn in seven hells.

[wknt3]

15 hours ago, DearEvette said:

There is an unconfirmed rumor floating around twitter that the reason the AMPTP is willing to go back to negotiations is because Netflix is leading the charge. Apparently they are anxious to get Stranger Things back to production.  
 

Like I said only a rumor. But I can understand if it is true. Even if there is a time jump, the age and appearance of the main cast might well influence how much of a time jump they need to have. For instance, Priah Ferguson who plays Erica was 14 playing an 11 year old last season.  She'll be 17 in October. So yeah time is not their friend on this.

Interesting if true for a number of reasons. First, Netflix is known for have the best data collection and most sophisticated analysis of viewer behavior, as well as the most accurate forecasting. So it would seem that they are seeing an impact and that a more prolonged strike is going to be very damaging to the bottom line - I doubt Stranger Things alone, no matter how powerful, would cause them to take drastic action. Also because a lot of people had thought Netflix would be the relative winner with their catalog and their success with international productions. And they were also one of the pioneers of the new business models that caused the strike in the first place, so if they're willing to seriously look at changes it would seem to be proof positive that it's not essential to impoverish creators in the the streaming age as the producers are arguing.

[Guest]

It’s good they are willing to come back to the table but I have my doubts that they are anymore willing to negotiate in good faith than they were before. I fully expect them to try to screw the unions over a lot before any real progress happens. Hopefully the unions can hold strong. 

[tv echo]

SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreements: Full List Of Movies And TV Series
By Patrick Hipes   August 18, 2023
https://deadline.com/feature/sag-aftra-interim-agreements-list-movies-tv-series-1235446661/ 

Quote

UPDATED with latest additions: SAG-AFTRA, which launched a strike against Hollywood studios on July 14, launched its interim agreements program that allows independent productions with no direct ties to members of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to continue filming.

The guild has been adding to the list of projects granting agreements since soon after it went on strike against the AMPTP after failing to agree on a new film and TV contract. Under the terms, members “may work on these productions without being in violation of the strike order,” per the guild.

On July 27, SAG-AFTRA began granting casting-specific agreements that allow its members to “audition and/or engage in negotiations regarding casting for these productions, but may not yet travel, rehearse, or otherwise begin rendering services for the production.”
*  *  *
Other agreements give films clearance to promote at festivals. A notable film in that category is Michael Mann’s Ferrari, which is driving toward a world premiere at the Venice Film Festival at the end of this month.
*  *  *
On August 14, SAG-AFTRA said that it has altered its agreements policy and going forward would exclude WGA-covered projects shot in the U.S. after meetings with the Writers Guild. The next day, it clarified that distributors looking to acquire films with interim agreements at festival would have to adhere to those terms in order to make a deal.

Edited August 21, 2023 by tv echo

[Anduin]

In ridiculous news, the AMPTP have decided to hire a PR firm. Instead of actual talking to the WGA and SAG like adults, they're trying to get public opinion on their side. They probably think that the public will encourage the writers and actors back to work. Why this strategy instead of talking? I'm going to paraphrase a Terry Pratchett quote. "It can be hard to make people understand something if their livelihoods depend on them not understanding."

However, I'm pretty sure that it isn't going to work. They're going to spend all that time and money to find out that public opinion hasn't budged one bit and their best option is still to settle.

[Spartan Girl]

JFC how much longer is the AMPTP going to drag this bullshit out?!

[Anduin]

5 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

JFC how much longer is the AMPTP going to drag this bullshit out?!

It took them 100 days to make the barest tokenish move, so I can easily see this going on 100 days more. Not that I have good predictive skills or anything, but they seem to see it as a war of attrition.

[scarynikki12]

17 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

JFC how much longer is the AMPTP going to drag this bullshit out?!

I think only the advertisers and investors can get this to end and even that will take a while as the writers and actors are holding strong for what they deserve.

One thing the studios are unintentionally doing is showing how much they depend on their actors promoting movies by pulling so many from the fall and winter schedules. If they didn't think they needed that promotion the movies would still be coming out on time. This move looks to be bolstering SAG's position so good job AMPTP.

Also, trying to win the PR game against a bunch of actors who know how to promote their work and the writers who create that work is a fool's game. They'd rather spend money on PR and make nothing at the box office this fall than pay people a decent wage. It's wild.

[Kel Varnsen]

On 8/6/2023 at 1:12 PM, scarynikki12 said:

For actors at cons the same is true when you look at it in a different way. No they can't violate strike rules but that opens them up to everything else.

I saw on social media that Bruce Campbell has a bunch of events coming up. But knowing his fanbase he could easily spend the whole event talking about life in rural Oregon and people there would love it. Although he could also probably talk about the first Evil Dead since it was a super indie movie made before he was in any union.

I am also starting to wonder if we are getting to the point where the networks will force the late night hosts to come back without writers. Because during the last strike that led to some really funny and weird stuff like Conan spinning his ring and the Conan/Colbert/Stewart feud. Or are hosts covered in the SAG strike?

[scarynikki12]

Some talk show hosts are in SAG and some aren’t but I do know the late night hosts are as they’ve all done some acting. Even if they were just WGA I don’t expect them to be forced to return since SAG-AFTRA members aren’t allowed to promote during the strike. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Kel Varnsen said:

I saw on social media that Bruce Campbell has a bunch of events coming up. But knowing his fanbase he could easily spend the whole event talking about life in rural Oregon and people there would love it. Although he could also probably talk about the first Evil Dead since it was a super indie movie made before he was in any union.

He could also talk about his video game work and tv animated voice over work.

3 hours ago, Kel Varnsen said:

Or are hosts covered in the SAG strike?

They are covered by the Network TV Code like soap opera actors so the SAG-AFTRA strike wouldn’t prevent the hosts from returning. 

I found this showing what kinds of work and promotion is allowed to continue. 

1 hour ago, scarynikki12 said:

Some talk show hosts are in SAG and some aren’t but I do know the late night hosts are as they’ve all done some acting. Even if they were just WGA I don’t expect them to be forced to return since SAG-AFTRA members aren’t allowed to promote during the strike. 

This. If the late shows come back this they won’t have writers and would be very limited in who could be a guest and what they could talk about. I guess they could focus primarily on foreign productions but that would be very limiting. 

[Kel Varnsen]

Just now, Dani said:

This. If the late shows come back this they won’t have writers and would be very limited in who could be a guest and what they could talk about. I guess they could focus primarily on foreign productions but that would be very limiting. 

Well they could still talk to athletes, musicians, stand up comics, authors, politicians, people in the news and (ugh) YouTubers. I remember watching The Daily show at the height of Jon Stewart's popularity, and he almost never had famous actors.

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

Well they could still talk to athletes, musicians, stand up comics, authors, politicians, people in the news and (ugh) YouTubers. 

True but the late night shows are less popular and less profitable than they were during the last strike. Then it made sense to get creative to get them back on the air because people would still tune in. That’s not really the case now. I could see it going either way. 

[absnow54]

20 hours ago, Dani said:

True but the late night shows are less popular and less profitable than they were during the last strike. Then it made sense to get creative to get them back on the air because people would still tune in. That’s not really the case now. I could see it going either way. 

Where late night still shines is in politics. There will be more urgency to get those shows back on track when the primaries get under way early next year.

[Kel Varnsen]

23 hours ago, Dani said:

True but the late night shows are less popular and less profitable than they were during the last strike. Then it made sense to get creative to get them back on the air because people would still tune in. That’s not really the case now. I could see it going either way. 

If the networks can force the hosts back I can see it going either way. Yes they don't get the ratings they once did and there are no shows/movies to promote. But at the same time, a big part of those shows seems to be about trying to generate viral clips. Colbert and Seth Myers have improv backgrounds (and I guess Fallon, not sure about Kimmel), so they could generate some interesting stuff if they had to think up bits on their own/on the fly.

[Jaded]

 

[scarynikki12]

One day after his deal with Warner Bros was suspended Greg Berlanti donated almost a million dollars to three strike funds (500k, 150k, and 150k respectively). Per Hollywood Reporter: 

https://x.com/thr/status/1700223050438914177?s=46&t=gU_dNH2Esy0f_14k094CjA

The move was an attempt to sow division between the strikers (WB suspended a bunch of deals) and is already backfiring. 

[Spartan Girl]

39 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

One day after his deal with Warner Bros was suspended Greg Berlanti donated almost a million dollars to three strike funds (500k, 150k, and 150k respectively). Per Hollywood Reporter: 

https://x.com/thr/status/1700223050438914177?s=46&t=gU_dNH2Esy0f_14k094CjA

The move was an attempt to sow division between the strikers (WB suspended a bunch of deals) and is already backfiring. 

Boss move for Greg!

Just pay the writers and actors, you dipshits.

[tv echo]

After Mega-Writer Suspensions, Industry Braces for More Blows
BY LACEY ROSE, LESLEY GOLDBERG   SEPTEMBER 8, 2023 
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/after-big-writer-suspensions-industry-braces-for-more-blows-1235585935/ 

[andromeda331]

16 hours ago, tv echo said:

After Mega-Writer Suspensions, Industry Braces for More Blows
BY LACEY ROSE, LESLEY GOLDBERG   SEPTEMBER 8, 2023 
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/after-big-writer-suspensions-industry-braces-for-more-blows-1235585935/ 

Wow, they were still paying others but couldn't pony up the money to pay writers. And some actors were still accepting checks.

[scarynikki12]

Drew Barrymore’s show is set to return next week which is disappointing and surprising. It has led to clarification on some points including new WGA terms that say if the talk show host is a WGA member then them writing the show themselves (what Stewart, Colbert, and Conan did in 07-08) counts as writing and becomes scabbing if it happens during a strike. I don’t think Drew is a WGA member so she’d be safe there but it’s still a shame. The only thing she can do to save some face is talk about why the strikes are happening and have guests who are knowledgeable about labor issues. 

[BetterButter]

California Senate Approves Unemployment Pay for Striking Workers

[Bastet]

On 9/14/2023 at 9:23 PM, BetterButter said:

California Senate Approves Unemployment Pay for Striking Workers

But we don't know if Gov. Newsom is going to sign it, and if he does it won't go into effect until January 1, 2024.  But it's good it passed the Senate so handily, given that a similar bill stalled out there several years ago; this high-profile dual strike could wind up benefiting union workers throughout CA.

[Spartan Girl]

Drew came to her senses:

I know it’s probably a PR move but she’s still doing the right thing. And unlike Bill Mahr, she’s capable of humility.

[Kel Varnsen]

23 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Drew came to her senses:

I know it’s probably a PR move but she’s still doing the right thing. And unlike Bill Mahr, she’s capable of humility.

For me that was more of an it depends kind of thing. Like Drew Barrymore is not a writer so if she was replacing her union writing team with non-union writers, that is shitty. But if she was planning to just go out every day and kind of wing it and see how it goes I am not sure why that is bad. Plus from what I know she doesn't really have an improv background, so her unscripted shows could have been really bad and could be a great way to show how important writers are.

Edited September 18, 2023 by Kel Varnsen

[Guest]

WGA, Hollywood studios close to a deal on ending writers’ strike, sources say

They’re meeting again today. I hope they are able to negotiate a good deal. 

[Annber03]

Fingers crossed!

[scarynikki12]

Tentative agreement reached!

https://x.com/wgawest/status/1706136145019683010?s=46&t=gU_dNH2Esy0f_14k094CjA

[Spartan Girl]

1 minute ago, scarynikki12 said:

Tentative agreement reached!

https://x.com/wgawest/status/1706136145019683010?s=46&t=gU_dNH2Esy0f_14k094CjA

Took them long enough! No, I’m not giving the studios any credit when this could’ve been solved MONTHS ago if they didn’t decide to act like assholes! Now they need to pony up with SAG.

Congratulations to WGA for staying strong.

[Guest]

Good news. I hope it’s something the members will be happy with. 

Here’s the statement the WGA released to it’s members:

Quote

DEAR MEMBERS,

We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA, which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language. 

What we have won in this contract – most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd – is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days. It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the companies back to the table to make a deal.

We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional – with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.

What remains now is for our staff to make sure everything we have agreed to is codified in final contract language. And though we are eager to share the details of what has been achieved with you, we cannot do that until the last “i” is dotted. To do so would complicate our ability to finish the job. So, as you have been patient with us before, we ask you to be patient again – one last time.

Once the Memorandum of Agreement with the AMPTP is complete, the Negotiating Committee will vote on whether to recommend the agreement and send it on to the WGAW Board and WGAE Council for approval. The Board and Council will then vote on whether to authorize a contract ratification vote by the membership.

If that authorization is approved, the Board and Council would also vote on whether to lift the restraining order and end the strike at a certain date and time (to be determined) pending ratification. This would allow writers to return to work during the ratification vote, but would not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval. 

Immediately after those leadership votes, which are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday if the language is settled, we will provide a comprehensive summary of the deal points and the Memorandum of Agreement. We will also convene meetings where members will have the opportunity to learn more about and assess the deal before voting on ratification. 

To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild. We are still on strike until then. But we are, as of today, suspending WGA picketing. Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week. 

Finally, we appreciated your patience as you waited for news from us — and had to fend off rumors — during the last few days of the negotiation. Please wait for further information from the Guild. We will have more to share with you in the coming days, as we finalize the contract language and go through our unions’ processes.  

As always, thank you for your support. You will hear from us again very soon.

 

[Annber03]

That sounds very promising :). Here's hoping the deal is a really good one for the writers and all goes well with getting everything finalized and sorted out. Same with the actors, when their turn comes. 

[andromeda331]

8 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Took them long enough! No, I’m not giving the studios any credit when this could’ve been solved MONTHS ago if they didn’t decide to act like assholes! Now they need to pony up with SAG.

Congratulations to WGA for staying strong.

I agree they could have ended this months ago or prevented it from happening by giving them a good contract. But nope.

Edited September 25, 2023 by andromeda331