WGA, AMPTP Still Meeting as Industry Eagerly Awaits News on Contract Talks
Negotiators for the WGA and Hollywood’s major studios and streamers gathered Sunday afternoon around 4 p.m. PT for more talks about the final terms of a three-year contract that has taken shape over the past week, raising hopes of ending the nearly five-month writers strike.
Some representatives for the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers were believed to be meeting face to face despite the start of the Yom Kippur holiday on Sunday evening. The sides were still in discussion as of about 5:30 p.m. PT.
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Representatives for the WGA and AMPTP did not return requests for comment on Sunday.
The AMPTP on Saturday evening presented the guild with a best and final offer, a contract designation meant to signal that the studios have closed the door on further negotiations on the most significant issues. On Sunday, sources said there was discussion between the sides of final details such as what type of work, if any, WGA members would do during the interim period while the guild holds its ratification vote on the contract.
The WGA has been on strike since May 2. Once a WGA deal is wrapped, SAG-AFTRA is waiting in the wings to return to talks and end the first industry-wide strike by the performers guild in more than 40 years. SAG-AFTRA’s work stoppage began July 14.
The fast pace of change and fundamental disruptions in entertainment industry economics have yielded the most contentious Hollywood labor contract negotiation cycle since 2007, the last time the writers went on strike for a total of 100 days.
More to come
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