Leaders of the striking Hollywood writers union have reported that negotiations with Hollywood studios resumed Friday.
USA Today reported that the Writers Guild of America sent a message to its members, “saying they expect the studios will respond to their proposals.” While the two sides have met previously, they were not yet negotiating at the first conversation.
When will striking writers and studios start negotiating?
Deadline reported that the negotiations have reportedly started on Friday between the striking writers and Hollywood studios.
The WGA reportedly sent an email to members detailing that the leaders of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers requested a meeting Friday, saying, “We’ll be back in communication with you sometime after the meeting with further information.”
“We expect the AMPTP to provide responses to WGA proposals,” the WGA wrote in a statement to its members, according to CNN.
The guild reportedly continued in a statement saying, “Our committee returns to the bargaining table ready to make a fair deal, knowing the unified WGA membership stands behind us and buoyed by the ongoing support of our union allies.”
Why are writers striking?
The New York Times reported that writers reportedly desire better compensation as their pay has been upended by streaming.
Writers stopped producing content on May 2 and began to speak out about their desires for better “compensation,” as well as “minimum staffing of writers’ rooms and residual payments in the streaming era, among other issues,” according to Reuters.
Why are actors striking?
Alongside writers, actors have begun their own strikes seeking protection against AI taking jobs and better pay.
Deseret News reported in mid-July that “as many as 160,000 actors associated with the union are striking for better pay and safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence.”
“We are not enjoying this,” SAG-AFTRA stunt performer and fight coordinator Paul Varacchi reportedly said. “We’re dong this because AI is a huge issue, because people might lose work.”
SAG-AFTRA reported that many actors such as Dwayne Johnson, George Clooney and Meryl Streep have donated millions to writers and actors living from paycheck to paycheck.
“I remember my days as a waiter, cleaner, typist, even my time on the unemployment line. In this strike action, I am lucky to be able to support those who will struggle in a long action to sustain against Goliath,” Streep said. “We will stand strong together against these powerful corporations who are bent on taking the humanity, the human dignity, even the human out of our profession.”