Picketing resumes with NBC, latenight skeins the prime targets

WGA is preparing to capitalize on its pact with David Letterman's Worldwide Pants to turn up the pressure on NBC and one of its cash cows, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." NBC's Burbank compound will be the focus of WGA picket shifts Wednesday-Friday, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., according to WGA West's website.

And a note distribbed to members today from WGA East Michael Winship cited the "difficult and painful decision" that guild leaders have made to picket "Tonight Show" as well as NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," despite the demonstrations of support from their hosts who are also WGA members.

Here's Winship's letter:

Fellow Members of the Writers Guild of America, East:

A very Happy New Year to you all. In spite of our current turmoil, I  hope you’ve been able to find some time to enjoy and appreciate the holiday season with friends and loved ones.I hit the wall the Friday before Christmas, momentarily overcome by frustration and annoyance. I think many, if not most of us, have done the same at various points during this strike.

What sustains me, and I hope you as well, is our nationwide unity and the surety that what we are striking for is right not only for us but so many others in the creative community – and that the fair and respectful contract we seek will serve as the template for many generations to come.

With the start of 2008 and the continuation of our strike come many new challenges and dilemmas. As you know, last week we reached a binding independent agreement with Worldwide Pants that will allow Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson to return to the air on January 2 with their full writing staffs. Worldwide Pants accepted the very same proposals, including new media, that the Guilds were prepared to present to the media conglomerates when they walked out of negotiations on December 7. As we said Friday, it demonstrates our eagerness to put people back to work, and that when a company comes to the table prepared to negotiate seriously, a fair and reasonable deal can be quickly reached.

Other late night shows – The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien here in New York – also are returning Wednesday night, but without their striking writers. Leno, O’Brien and Kimmel are all members of the Guild and have been and continue to be extremely supportive of our strike and their writing staffs. For that we truly are grateful.

Nonetheless, they are coming back without writers and without a new Guild contract, forced back on the air by companies that refuse to sit at the table and bargain with us. We cannot let that pass.

It’s a difficult and painful decision, but the Guilds East and West have determined that we will picket outside the studios of these programs, beginning January 2. We know that some believe this to be unfair and will be unhappy, but we are taking into consideration our overall strategy and the needs of all 10,500 of our members currently on strike.

Our picket will not be of the hosts themselves but the companies for which their shows are produced. Our purpose is to continue awareness of our strike and the media conglomerates against which we strike, and to encourage performers, politicians and others to honor our picket line and not appear as guests on these struck programs.

Nothing at all personal or defamatory is intended and we will take all measures to make sure the public and press are aware of our motives and issues. If the companies want these shows to be back on the air with the writers whose creativity and talent make them so successful, the answer is simple. Bargain in good faith, negotiate, make a deal.

Thanks for your attention.

In Solidarity,
Michael Winship
President
Writers Guild of America, East

Comments

[Wannabe writer]

Those capitalist studios have made slaves out of the poor writer. They have taken the work that we have poured our souls into and have dared to make a profit. The poor misunderstood union writer cannot purchase health care on their own as other Americans. In fact, we demand, that you hire 1 person for every three writers to make out doctor appointments for us and of course to find our notepads. The dictators of our business are not benevolent and do not take kindly to saying the dog ate my work. The poor writer cannot put up their own money and make their own movies or tv pilots. The risk is too great. What if we made quality movies as Redacted and Rendition. Trophies do not pay the mortgage on our mansions. We are not business people. We are democrats. We give our coin to those that preach revolution if our demands are not met as opposed to those that could make us filthy capitalists. Besides, we do not choose to become the money lenders or the great satans. We the writer, are not asking for much. The writers deserve a Tom Cruise contract. We cannot survive on a Reese Witherspoon payout. Why the lowly actor would only be a speechless model where it not for the words of a genteel scribe who reaches deep into his very soul and with the sweat of his brows write the words that gives the actor wealth beyond the dreams of avarice. The self esteem, of this great union and each of its members is at great risk. Our demands must be met. We will march into the very streets of America. We will walk in circles chanting slogans made up by the very best of us. We will make the signs. As the people read our signs and listen to our chants they will weep and rally to our side against the great satan.

[Jack]

The union should take the money made by the letterman/ferguson writers and divide it equally among all the late night writers

[George]

Thank you for posting about this very important issue. thanks so much for sharing!

[Bill]

"I did not mean to step on your toes and there are exceptions to everything."

"I am self employed because I do not like the rules of others."

"Hope your next year is better"

"Your friend and mine"

These are the words of Jack, aka wannabe writer, aka AMPTP shill, when I dared to challenge his prior posts. So since you're still posting at a high rate, I assume this time, Jack, you DID mean to step on my toes.

I'm a writer. This is life-and-death stuff for me and my family. Who are you? You're certainly not some casual, self-employed poster. Reveal yourself, what do you have to lose, besides the notion that there are any non-AMPTP people posting pro-AMPTP messages?

[Jack]

Flat foot Bill, I went and read your other posts. You are employed by the union. Should have guessed sooner with your I know a single mom with a child bit. But I also noticed you like to beat up on people because of their punctuation. Some of your friends are now referring to writers as the architects of the media world instead of the worker bee. Maybe the union should hold a meeting and get everyone on the same page.

Yes, after reading some of your posts I did decide to step on your toes because I believe you are hired to scan variety to tow the line and make sure the union's best foot is put forward.

Oh did not notice your full name and address either.

[Bill]

Shill Jack:

I'm a writer who's livelihood is being unfairly threatened, who genuinely believes these people are going to use the "internet" label for all product in the next few years as TV and the web become one and effectively try to cut our wages tenfold or more. For the love of god, do you seriously think the union needs to PAY people to post here? Though, for the record, even though I'm not employed by the union, I would be proud to be. I believe in what we're doing with all my heart.

And I wasn't asking for your name, Jack. Just your employer. No way you're a "self-employed" non-involved party. I'm a writer with a wife with a recent medical condition so I haven't been able to picket as much as I'd like. So I'm trying to do my part on these boards. And I never claimed I wasn't an aggressive poster. I've decided to be as aggressive and bully as good as I get, make sure AMPTP knows we're not lying down and we're not afraid to fight fire with fire.

Even if you think my story is fictional, and may God strike me and my child dead if that isn't the truth, it's eminently believable. Yours is not.

Again, what's your story?

[Bill]

Oh, and my friend, the single woman and child? I can go public with her story because she has. Here's the link:

http://media.podcastingmanager.com/109655-102437/Media/Dawn2.mp4

She didn't work for years and has finally gotten to showcase her talents on "Ugly Betty." Residuals kept her afloat. No lies, here, Jack.

Again, what's your story?

[Bill]

You know what, Jack? I realized I wasn't indignant enough about you labeling my friend the single mother and child, "a bit." We don't all invent personas like "self-employed non-involved third party." She's real, and your callous and heartless accusation is just typical of the tactics you and your ilk have employed during all of this.

Again, for some of us, "Jack," this is all very real. I hope to god you have the balls to tell us who you really work for. Because there hasn't been one AMPTP person who on these boards who has.

[Not Convinced]

For every heart-warming story about how a single mom is getting by on residuals there are thousands of heart-wrenching stories about single moms who don't have such a luxury. Wouldn't it be great if we all got residuals for the work we've done? Some people actually have to keep working to keep getting paid. I don't have a problem with the concept of writers getting residuals, but showcasing how people get by on them doesn't really help me feel sorry for them.

[Outsider]

As an observer and (aspiring?) writer, I must say the following: This whole thing is turning people off. We're turning our TVs off. By the time this is resolved (if ever?) no one will care. There are thousands of writers out there who would kill to be in your position, but are stuck working at McDonalds or Starbucks or a magazine or a website or wherever because, like others have said, some of us have to work to survive.

Get off your high horses and get this situation resolved.

Otherwise, the rest of the world (aka not Hollywood) might have to start reading or go outside!!