Tuesday's opening salvo, from AMPTP

In its usual move at the start of the day, the AMPTP began Tuesday with a quick snarky blast at the WGA, dubbing it "the worst supporting union."

The negotiating group took a dim view of the guild's decision late Monday to refuse requests for waivers to the Golden Globes and the Oscars -- meaning that both shows will probably be picketed and likely be boycotted by many top stars sympathetic to the guild's cause.

Here's the AMPTP's statement --

"In the category of Worst Supporting Union, the nominee is the WGA.  The union, which initiated this strike, continues day in and day out to make good on its commitment to, in the words of a leading WGA organizer, "wreak havoc," even though those being hurt include WGA's own working writers, the below-the-line workers and their families, the broader Los Angeles region - and now the creative artists who deserve to be honored for their work over the last year."

Comments

[RC Martin]

You might as will kiss the strike “Goodbye”, once the Union allows “Any” writers to return via a separate agreement.

I.E… Allowing writers to work on the “Late Night Shows”

Once upon a time…

There was a strong “Carpenter’s Union”. They went on strike for an extra 75cents an hour.

They were on strike for a few weeks, when one contractor (producer) found out that he was going to be billed for not having his job finished on time.

So, he went to the Union and said, “I will pay Tuesday for a hamburger today.” OK, he asked, “If you let my carpenters work today, “I will pay them the future per hour rate, after the Union settles the strike.”

The Union said, “That sounds fair”, and let the carpenters go back to work.

Now the other contractors (producers) heard of this, so they went to the Union and each made separate deals. Each saying, “I will pay Tuesday for a hamburger today.”

The Union agreed. What’s the harm letting a few workers go back to work?

Amazingly, the Union discovered, “Hey, where are the striking carpenters?!”

Well, “They’re out on the job sites.”

“How come?”

“We agreed to let one crew go back, now they’re all back to work.”

“But, we Never settled!”

“Precisely.”

[don't settle]

The problem lies with the carpenters not simply requiring to be paid the extra $0.75 an hour at that point. They should have also had an additional strike surcharge of $0.25. If the writers are negotiating separate deals, don't make it an IOU, charge extra for the privilege. In fact, don't even bother trying to settle the strike, just keep requiring exhorbitant amounts for each of these waivers. You could even be nice and require that all the other production people out of work be paid handsomely for the privilege of the waiver. Then start providing waivers for any and all productions on your own terms. Then see how long it takes the studios to settle this.