WGA Asks Members to Authorize Strike
Writers Guild of America East, West Presidents Send Letter to Members
By Ben Grossman -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/1/2007 4:52:00 PM
The Writers Guild of America Monday asked its members to authorize a strike in an apparent attempt to gain leverage in talks leading up to the Oct. 31 expiration of the current deal.
In a joint letter, WGA West president Patric Verrone and WGA East president Michael Winship asked for the authorization to “call a strike in the event that a fair and reasonable contract cannot be negotiated with the networks and studios. This is a step that unions regularly take and that we have taken in the past, particularly in negotiations where fundamental issues regarding our future are on the table.”
Ballots were mailed out this week. The WGA made the full letter available online.
In response, Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers president Nick Counter released a statement calling the WGA’s strategy “reckless” and saying that the authorization request “is notable only because its negotiators seem intent on striking without seriously addressing the AMPTP's proposals and with no regard for the devastating impact on their members, fellow unions and this industry.”
The sides are set to resume bargaining Thursday.
