Around three months after the start of the strike, the US screenwriters met with representatives of the major studios and streaming providers for the first time – but without a result. The strike will therefore continue for the time being, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced on Saturday night. Both sides could not even agree on the terms of a return to the negotiating table.
Chief negotiator Carol Lombardini, chair of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), proposed Tuesday’s meeting date. The fronts still seem hardened, there are no signs of an imminent strike. For the coming week, strikes with posters and chants are planned on the streets of New York and Los Angeles, among other places – along with the actors who have also been on strike for around three weeks.
For the screenwriters, Wednesday would be the 100th day of the walkout. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass spoke out loud on Friday. It is vital to find an immediate solution, the politician said in a statement. The Hollywood walkout hurts the economy and people. She is personally available as an intermediary.
After unsuccessful negotiations about better working conditions, the more than 11,000 unionized screenwriters began industrial action in early May. Among other things, the writers are demanding salary increases, higher subsidies for health and pension benefits and regulations for the use of artificial intelligence (AI). In mid-July, tens of thousands of members of the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA went on strike after negotiations with the Association of TV and Film Studios broke down.
It is currently almost impossible to shoot films and series in the USA. It’s a tough struggle – the two parties react with verbal battles and mutual accusations. The Writers Guild of America on Thursday launched accusations against the studios of spreading rumors and lies. The AMPTP accused the union of “regrettable” rhetoric. The strike would hurt thousands of people in the film business, who would take it very seriously, the studios said in a statement. Observers in Hollywood fear that the walkout could last for weeks or months.
It is the first double strike by actors and screenwriters in the United States in more than 60 years. Many stars take to the streets. In the past few days, celebrities like Jane Fonda, Sean Penn, Bryan Cranston, Anna Kendrick and Colin Farrell have been among the pickets in New York and Los Angeles. Others donate to the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA to support actors in need. According to the “New York Times”, stars like Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Jackman, Dwayne Johnson, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez and Arnold Schwarzenegger raised over 15 million dollars in just a few weeks.
