The negotiations spin has gone nuclear.
WGA West president Patric Verrone's sticking by his guns, asserting early Friday afternoon that the AMPTP's stalling at the current round of negotiations. And the AMPTP has fired off a blistering response.
In an interview just before speaking at a rally at FreeMantle headquarters in Burbank, Verrone told Daily Variety that AMPTP reps had promised the WGA late Thursday afternoon that they were planning to work "through the night" at the location of negotiations on AMPTP counter-proposals in new media -- Web streaming, jurisdiction and Internet downloads.
CAA's Bryan Lourd -- who's been active in the talks -- conveyed the message, Verrone said. "We were told by Bryan Lourd to wait," he added.
But a small group of guild leaders stayed behind at the site and saw the remaining AMPTP members depart at 6:45 p.m., Verrone said.
In another development Friday, the AMPTP issued a response to the most recent message to WGA members from Verrone and WGA East prez Michael Winship.
The AMPTP' insists that the WGA that hasn't responded to its Nov. 29 proposal (the New Economic Partnership); that the WGA hasn't spent time at the negotiating table; and the blame for the strike lies with the WGA for turning down mutiple requests to start negotiating earlier this year (negotiations began on July 16).
The AMPTP also slapped the WGA leaders by calling them "organizers" -- implying that they're more interested in striking than negotiating. And they also implied that the WGA's bogging down the negotiations by going into periperhal areas.
"The producers did present a new proposal, the New Economic Partnership, which would increase the average working writer's salary to more than $230,000 a year," it said. "The WGA's organizers have yet to respond directly to that proposal, preferring instead to focus on jurisdictional issues in the areas of reality and animation television."
The entire statement after the jump:
--Dave McNary and Cynthia Littleton
Statement from Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers:
The WGA's organizers sent a letter to WGA members today that contains a
series of factual mistakes.
WGA Organizer Statement
"[T]he companies had requested a four-day break so they could work on their
proposals."
The Facts
On Nov. 29, the WGA's organizers requested the four-day break after the
producers presented their proposed New Economic Partnership.
WGA Organizer Statement
The producers "told us they would have new proposals."
The Facts
The producers did present a new proposal, the New Economic Partnership, which
would increase the average working writer's salary to more than $230,000 a year.
The WGA's organizers have yet to respond directly to that proposal, preferring
instead to focus on jurisdictional issues in the areas of reality and animation
television.
WGA Organizer Statement
"We have been at the negotiating table every day, willing to bargain."
The Facts
The WGA's organizers actually spend relatively little time at the negotiating
table. The WGA's organizers sought a four-day break, and when they returned
sessions that were supposed to begin at 10:00 am often did not start until
after lunchtime. When they are at the negotiating site, WGA organizers
typically spend as much time speaking among themselves as they do at the
negotiating table.
WGA Organizer Statement
"We will remain at the table every day, for as long as it takes, to make a fair
deal."
The Facts
The WGA's organizers refused repeated requests by the producers to begin
negotiations much earlier, in the spring of 2007. Had negotiations begun when
the producers wanted them to start, perhaps the industry would not now be in
the midst of this strike.
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