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Hollywood writers and studios to resume talks after three-month impasse
https://www.whatjobs.com/news/usa/us-employment-news/hollywood-writers-and-studios-to-resume-talks-after-three-month-impasse
By Nithya Bose in US Employment News, posted August 2, 2023
Major entertainment studios and thousands of striking writers are about to restart negotiations following a three-month stalemate.
The Writers Guild said Carol Lombardini, the studio negotiator, requested a meeting to discuss negotiations on Friday, July 28.
The standoff between the writers and studios began in early May when contract negotiations between the parties fell apart.
Read More: Hollywood stars join strikes in biggest industry shutdown in 60 years
Tens of thousands of actors joined the picket lines on July 14, marking the first simultaneous walkout of actors and writers in Hollywood since 1960.
This stalemate led to a near-complete production shutdown of scripted entertainment across the US.
Previously, industry insiders speculated the studios would attempt to restart negotiations with SAG-AFTRA, the actors' union, which has historically been more willing to bargain with the studios.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher's vocal criticism of studio executives, including Disney CEO Robert A. Iger, has altered the dynamics, making studios believe that the writers might be more receptive to negotiations.
Read More: Actors would strike against Hollywood studios following contract expiry
The writers and actors went on strike due to concerns about compensation levels and working conditions, exacerbated by the impact of streaming content on the entertainment industry.
The writers union has characterized their grievances as "existential" and a fight for survival.
The writers' representative, Chris Keyser, offered a self-described “olive branch” to the studios.
He said: “If you are visionaries, envision a solution, not a stalemate”, addressing the studio chiefs.
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“Because this isn’t a war we’re in — it’s a negotiation. It’s just a negotiation. And when you come to remember that again, we will be here as we have been here all along.”
Mr. Keyser also added that the writers remain unified.
He said: “You cannot outlast us — you cannot. And not just because we have the will. Because we have power.
“Nothing in this business happens until we start to write, and we will not start to write until we are paid.”
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