WGA West President Meredith Stiehm Speaks Loud Ahead of AMPTP Negotiations, Says Guild Is “Good Sheriff in a Bad City”

WGA West President Meredith Stiehm spoke pointedly about the Guild’s upcoming negotiations with the AMPTP in her speech at Sunday’s WGA Awards.

She opened her comments by referring to Robert Altman, whom she called “a good sheriff in a bad town.”

The WGA is now the good sheriff fighting for a new deal for writers, she added. “We all know that sometimes we work in a bad city; there are bullies, there are crooks and people who are not on the same level trying to get away with things. Of course, no writer is like that. But the good news is the town has a good sheriff. And this is the Writers Guild of America.”

RELATED: Former WGA President Patric Verrone Says Writers “Take Our Demands Seriously” Before Awards Are Given

She cited the case against Netflix last summer, in which hundreds of writers recovered an additional $42 million in unpaid debt.

Stiehm, co-creator of FXs the bridge, said the WGA is there to “compete against people who don’t play fair”.

“We’re not looking for a fight. But we will not let ourselves roll… We writers need a big change in our compensation,” she added.

RELATED: Charlie Kaufman Suits Hollywood at WGA Awards: ‘You Can’t Do Anything Worth Doing Without Us’

A few days after the WGA announced its pattern of demands, Stiehm acknowledged it’s possible it could “get a little rough,” but that the union has been there before, “and we know how to stick together. ” “The point of a union is to look after the group, the whole group,” she added.

Stiehm closed with the wishes of David Young, WGAW’s CEO, who resigned last week to take medical leave.

Young, who has campaigned several times on behalf of the authors, will miss upcoming talks with the AMPTP, which start on March 20. The guild said WGAW Deputy Executive Director Ellen Stutzman will serve as lead negotiator.