- The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) are resuming negotiations after last week’s strike authorization vote.
- WGA has called for ‘strike readiness,’ encouraging members to prepare in case negotiations fail to reach an agreement.
- Key issues in the negotiations revolve around minimum salaries, residual payments, and streaming percentages.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) are set to resume talks following last week’s strike authorization vote from WGA members. In response to the ongoing negotiations, WGA has urged its members to be ready for a strike if an agreement is not reached.
WGA’s call for strike readiness includes practical advice on how to prepare both financially and psychologically for the potential disruption. “Begin saving now, revise your budget, talk to your family, make plans,” the union said in a letter to its members.
The major points of contention in the ongoing talks are minimum salaries, residual payments, and streaming percentages. WGA is pushing for an increase in minimum salaries and residuals, as well as a fair share of income from streaming services. Streaming services have become increasingly important sources of revenue for the television and film industry, and WGA argues that writers should receive a larger portion of profits from those platforms.
Although negotiations are ongoing, both parties remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached before the current contract expires on May 1, 2023. A strike would bring Hollywood to a standstill, impacting film and television production as well as live events across the United States.