It's do or die time for the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The current writer's contract expires at midnight Pacific time tonight (May 1, 2017) and while there has been some movement on key issues such as the health care plan the most important issues as far as the WGA are concerned are still outstanding.
The first is the concept of span, in other words how long a writer spends working on an episode. The current contract only defines compensation for what was the standard twenty-two episode season. Many writers are now working for short season programs (some as few as six episodes) but are spending more time writing, but not being paid for the additional time. The WGA wants to change the season definition for these short programs to twelve months as opposed to an episode count, and writers should be paid more if work on an episode exceeds two weeks. The AMPTP has proposed the 'overtime' kick in at closer to three weeks and only for lower paid writers.
The second item of concern is parity. Right now there is a tiered system for paying writers, and once again those writing for basic cable and streaming programs are paid less than writers for programs on premium cable such as HBO and the "Big Four" networks. This also spills over into residual payments for writers. The WGA argues the 'discounts' in writing fees for streaming and cable programs are outmoded now with the success of those platforms. The AMPTP fears if they give in to the writers on these discounted prices for writer fees and residuals, that SAG and the Director's Guild would also demand changes to the fees their members receive, thus making those programs more expensive to make.
Last, there is the question of exclusivity. Right now writers can only work on one program per season, defined as twenty-two episodes. If a writer is working for a short season program (which is the norm these days for cable and streaming services) that means a writer cannot seek other jobs without permission first.
The WGA estimates the issues of exclusivity and span in particular have cost writers as much as 23% of the money they earned only two years ago and it intends to correct that wage loss for its members.
Both sides did attend meetings on Sunday and both have agreed to come back to the table today to try and hash out a contract. The WGA stated last week, it has the votes to call a strike and that said strike would start as soon as the current contract expires. Is that saber-rattling on the part of the WGA? Both sides agreed to a media blackout when negotiations for the new contract began in March so it's hard to say just how close (or how far away) the two sides are to an agreement.
If writers do strike it could affect Fall premiers depending on how long the strike lasts. The last shutdown in 2007 lasted one hundred days and many network programs suffered shortened seasons as a result. Networks have been mum on what plans have been made to deal with a potentially delayed fall season.
Followup report: http://www.tvmaze.com/articles/174/writers-guild-strike-averted
Written by LadyShelley on May 1, 2017
Followup from LadyShelley: http://www.tvmaze.com/articles/174/writers-guild-strike-averted
Part of the AMPTP's motivation is knowing that SAG contracts come up for renewal in June. The AMPTP is well aware of any concessions it makes to the writers will also have to be made to the actors (and I think that tiered pay system for basic cable and streaming applies to SAG and its scale for paying actors as well).
Believe it or not the writers really don't want to strike. in 2007 many lost homes and had to take out loans to pay bills. Writers lost millions in lost wages, but if your paycheck had been cut but a quarter in two years, you'd be a little upset too. :-)
I remember the last big writers strike, seasons were postponed and shortened, I do not want to see that again, they should get paid what they deserve, without them TV is nothing.