Posted in: Movies, streaming, TV | Tagged: amptp, SAG-AFTRA, wga, writers' strike

WGA, AMPTP Meet About Meetings; 2 Key TV-Related Issues Still In Play

Reps from the WGA & AMPTP met today and, while communications are open, sources say two major TV-related issues are still very much in play.

Okay, on the plus side? At least the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) actually had a chance to meet – even if the purpose of the meeting was to see if/when more meetings could take place. In addition, sources speaking with Variety expect the WGA and AMPTP to be back on speaking terms "in the coming days" once both sides have been able to process what was discussed today during a meeting was is described on the Variety reports as being "a little stiff, but not so tense that near-term negotiations are impossible." Now… on the negative side? By the time the dust settled on the approximately hour-long meeting between the AMPTP and WGA chief negotiator Ellen Stutzman & WGA West general counsel Tony Segall, it appears that both sides haven't moved much on two key television-related issues.

The union made it clear that the WGA is standing firm when it comes to setting minimum staffing levels in place for episodic television series as well as a guaranteed minimum number of employment weeks. Known to be a negotiation-killer for the AMPTP based on past comments, it isn't clear if the organization's position has changed since then. In addition, sources speaking with Variety also claim that a third issue of contention has come into play. Reportedly, even if the WGA finalizes a deal with the WGA, Stutzman & Segall made it clear that writers will still want to honor the SAG-AFTRA strike & all picket lines – essentially meaning that productions would still not move forward. It was reported that the detail "irked some on the management side, who saw that as adding an additional demand on top of the issues already on the table." Representatives from both the WGA and AMPTP didn't responded to requests for comment on the original report at the time of this writing.

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