The WGA declared today that no deal was reached with the Association of Talent Agents on a new franchise agreement, and ATA executive director Karen Stuart and WGA West President David A. Goodman issued separate statements about the impasse.
“The WGA leadership today declared a pathway for compromise doesnt exist,” Stuart said in her statement. “Agencies have been committed to reaching an agreement with the WGA but, despite our best efforts, todays outcome was driven by the Guilds predetermined course for chaos. The WGA is mandating a Code of Conduct that will hurt all artists, delivering an especially painful blow to mid-level and emerging writers, while dictating how agencies of all sizes should function. We came to the negotiating table in good faith and put forth comprehensive proposals providing choice, disclosure, transparency, shared revenue and a significant investment in inclusion programs. Unfortunately, not to our surprise, the WGA did not accept our offer, did not provide counterproposals and refused to negotiate further. Were prepared to continue to fight for the best interests of writers and all artists.”
Meanwhile, Goodman opened todays last day of bargaining with the ATA by saying that the guild is going ahead with its plans to implement a new Agency Code of Conduct. The talks for a new franchise agreement had been extended until midnight tonight, but Goodman said that so little progress has been made at the bargaining table that the guild had no choice but to proceed with its plans to implement the Code.
Here is Goodmans full statement:
WGAW President Eric Goodman
“As I said, we granted the weeks extension as a sincere effort to try to find a solution,” he said. “But it is clear to us that we are not appreciably closer. We are willing to continue meeting with you when you provide a proposal that truly addresses our expressed concerns, but our Friday deadline has arrived and we are moving forward with the implementation of our Code of Conduct and the enforcement of our WGA Working Rule 23.” That rule prohibits members from being represented by agents who are not signed to a WGA franchise agreement. At midnight, that agreement will become the new Code, which all the major agencies have said they will not sign.”
To that end, the guild today released a batch of new instructions for guild members if and when the WGA gives them the order to fire their agents, including an electronic letter “notifying your agency they can no longer represent you for covered writing services if they havent signed the Code of Conduct.”
In his remarks, Goodman told the agents in response to their latest proposal to share their packaging fees with writers, that he feels “its necessary that we be honest about where we are. We granted the one week extension with the sincere hope that we could reach a solution, and there have been a few moments of hope. On the subject of independent features, we appreciate the constructive dialogue we have had. I know its the feeling of the feature writers on our committee that the conversations and negotiations have been productive, and that we are close to finding an agreement on that issue that will both protect writers and allow agencies to be properly compensated for the important work they do in this area.
How The WGA-ATA Tug Of War Is Flipping The Script In Hollywood & Whats Next
“Unfortunately, it is the feeling of this committee that this is the only area where we weve made progress. Your proposals on information sharing are entirely inadequate. You continue to refuse to recognize the primacy of the Guild and our legal right to the information as exclusive bargaining representative for writers. Any consultation with an attorney experienced in labor law would confirm you are legally protected in this area, and some of you know it from your own experience with the sports unions. CAA is required to turn over the contracts to the NFL Players Association within 48 hours. The overwhelming majority of our members want their deal memos, contracts and invoices to go directly to the Guild, and any member that doesnt will have avenues of recourse directly with the Guild.
“Your presentation on packaging was a little confusing, not because we dont understand it, but because you claimed that we didnt, and then made a presentation that was very close to the speech I gave to our members. Our overall description of the mechanisms of packaging fees was exactly the same. Though we appreciate that you were listening to Mike Schurs discuRead More – Source
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