Karen S. Kim
MEDIA DISTRICT WEST -- The Writers Guild of America, movie producers
and network representatives came together Monday to begin a formal
two-week period of contract negotiations.
Each side stated their desire to reach an agreement and avoid a
strike.
"While it's a very short window, it means everyone is sitting down and
meeting," said John Dreyer, spokesman for Burbank-based The Walt Disney
Co.
'We're a few months away from seeing what will happen."
The guild, which represents 11,000 writers nationwide, met with the
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, ABC, CBS and NBC
executives.
The goal of the talks is to hammer out a deal and reach agreements on
a new contract before the writers' existing contract expires on May 1.
The writers' demands involve creative and economic issues, including
inclusion at cast readings and research screenings, inclusion on the set,
improved treatment at the workplace and establishing new residual
formulas.
Writers want a 100% increase on residual pay for videos and DVDs,
raising their pay from 4 to 8 cents for each tape or disc, WGA officials
said.
"Our goal is to be able to reach an agreement and avoid any strike
which will undoubtedly have an impact on everyone involved," Dreyer said.
WGA President John Wells said in his opening statement Monday that the
negotiations would center around "monetary respect for our contributions"
and "respect in the form of inclusion and participation in the creative
process."
The guild's demands would cause a total increase of $161.1 million for
new three-year writers' contracts, according to the guild.
The alliance's opening statements, given by Walt Disney Co. President
Robert Iger, outlined the problems and declines in the film and
television industry, stating that "network television audiences have
eroded dramatically" and "costs have increased, while movie viewing has
fragmented."
Iger's comments also included a reminder that producers and writers
had successfully avoided a strike for the last 12 years because of
conclusive negotiations and that the alliance would "spend whatever time
it takes to reach an agreement."
The alliance represents 350 production companies and studios,
including Disney, Warner Bros., Viacom, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount
Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, MGM Pictures
Inc., Fox Pictures and Columbia TriStar Television.
Guild and alliance officials have agreed to decline comment on the
status or success of negotiations for the next two weeks.
