LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Hollywood writers’ strike, now approaching its 100-day mark, will see negotiators from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) meeting with representatives from major studios on Friday. This meeting will mark the first time in three months that the two sides will discuss the possibility of resuming contract talks.
The strike, which began on May 2, has been staged by the guild’s 11,500 members who cite an impasse over pay, streaming residuals, and other issues such as setting limits on the use of artificial intelligence. The 100th day of the strike will be next Wednesday.
Prior to the meeting, the WGA’s negotiating committee issued a statement urging the studios to abandon tactics used during the previous 2007-08 writers’ strike. The committee accuses the studios of spreading misinformation about the real impact of the strike and calls on them to make a fair deal and repair the damage caused to workers in the industry.
In response, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents companies such as Walt Disney and Netflix, dismissed the WGA’s rhetoric as “unfortunate.” The AMPTP affirmed that the purpose of Friday’s discussion is to establish whether the two sides can work together. They added that their only goal is to get people back to work.
The group has previously stated that they have offered writers generous compensation increases and improvements in residuals for streaming services. However, the ongoing strike is taking a toll on small businesses that support the entertainment industry, such as florists, caterers, and costume suppliers. These effects were exacerbated on July 14 when members of the Screen Actors Guild also went on strike after failing to reach a new contract agreement with the studios.
The strikes are severely impacting the entertainment industry, resulting in the suspension of most work on scripted series for the fall TV season and film production. Additionally, the strikes are casting a dark shadow over British Columbia’s creative industry, which is a hub for American film and TV production.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Fox is expected to reschedule the television’s Emmy Awards to air in January due to the strikes. Meanwhile, Warner Bros Discovery warned investors of potential delays in film releases and the impact on their ability to produce and deliver content.
A number of writers took to social media to show their solidarity with the negotiating team and express their determination to continue the strike until they achieve their target deal.
“This strike ends when we get our target deal. NOT before,” wrote Jorge A. Reyes, creator of the series “Kevin Hill,” on social media platform X. “And it should be THE BEST DEAL. We didn’t spend this time or come this far to just get something just okay.”
Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; additional reporting by Danielle Broadway in Los Angeles; Editing by Mary Milliken and David Gregorio
Credit: The Star : News Feed
