500 Writers Attend First WGA Member Meeting Talks Upcoming Contracts: “We Are United!”

Nearly 500 WGA members gathered today at the Writers Guild Theater in Los Angeles to hear their leaders discuss the guild’s upcoming negotiations for a new film and television deal. The press was not allowed, but cheers and applause erupted from the gathering outside in the street. It was the first of four general meetings held this month, with two more planned in LA and one in New York.

Solidarity was the order of the day. While those in attendance were told not to speak to reporters, some ventured to say the members were united ahead of contract talks, which have not yet been scheduled with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers. The current WGA contract expires on May 1.

“The leadership presented their agenda and everyone cheered,” one writer said after leaving the meeting. “They’re warming up the troops.”

“We support the guild and their position,” said another.

“I am very proud of my union,” another writer said after the meeting. “We are united!”

“It was a wonderful meeting,” said another, giving a thumbs up.

“Solidarity!” said another.

“It was a rally of encouragement,” said another.

Before today’s meeting, the Guild’s Negotiation Committee emailed members: “We will present our proposed negotiation agenda and you will have the opportunity to share your thoughts, ask questions and hear from your fellow members what is on the agenda. “

The possibility of a writer’s strike worries many in the industry, but WGA leaders have urged their members not to believe the rumor mill.

“By now you’ve probably heard a lot of rumors and inflammatory claims in the press about our upcoming negotiations,” WGA West board member and 2023 negotiating committee member Adam Conover said in the video recently posted to the guild. Website. “So I just want to remind you that anyone who claims to know what the Guild is going to do this cycle doesn’t know what they’re talking about. This is because our guild is a democratic organization. We are the guild, all of us. And we, the members, decide how to proceed.”

Still, he said, “Be prepared now. The AMPTP’s initial proposals consist virtually entirely of downsizing and lowering our fees and other key protections and benefits.”

In his recent Scriptnotes podcast, John August, who also sits on the guild’s bargaining committee, was asked about the rumors and concerns that a strike is a foregone conclusion.

“It’s really quite annoying, to be honest,” he said. “The Guild did not press any of their proposals; We don’t know anything about what the companies will propose – so anything can happen, and it’s still pretty early. However, the studios and networks are definitely trying to prepare for it in case it does happen. You see they open the writing rooms early – they try to get the scripts in by May 1st. He added that “this is very normal at this stage of the pre-negotiation process”.