WGA STRIKE UPDATE: WGA, AMPTP to Hold Informal Talks Starting Wednesday

Writers Guild of America Will Pull Demands for WGA Representation of Reality, Animation Writers

By Ben Grossman -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/22/2008 7:33:00 PM

The Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will hold informal talks beginning Wednesday, and when they do, the WGA said it will pull its demands for Guild representation of reality and animation writers.

The sides put out a joint statement Tuesday saying that the informal talks will be held to determine “if there is a basis for both parties to return to formal negotiations.” The sides also agreed to a news blackout on the informal talks.

But before going quiet, the WGA sent a letter to its members saying that while it is pulling its proposals on reality and animation, its “organizing efforts to achieve Guild representation in these genres for writers will continue. You will hear more about this in the next two weeks.”

The WGA also said on Tuesday that it will not picket the upcoming Grammy Awards on CBS.

In the letter to its members, the WGA said about the Grammys, “Members of the American Federation of Musicians face many of the same issues concerning compensation in new media that we do. In the interest of advancing our goal of achieving a fair contract, the WGAW board felt that this gesture should be made on behalf of our brothers and sisters in AFM and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.”

For full coverage of the strike, click here.