WGA: Oscars will be picketed; Image Awards gets waiver

As if there were any doubt, you can forget about a picket-free Oscars on Feb. 24 -- unless the WGA strike is over by then.

That was the unmistakable message from WGA West president Patric Verrone at an early afternoon news conference Tuesday at WGA West headquarters. Event was being held to announce that the WGA's granted a waiver to the NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 14.

During the Q&A, Verrone was explicit in responding to questions about whether the Oscars might also be granted a waiver.

"The WGA West board of directors has already voted to deny a waiver to the Academy if they ask for one," he said. "The most important thing to us us to get the conglomerates back to the table."

Pressed as to what would change the board's decision, he responded by saying, "If we get a contract, that changes things."

Verrone first announced the board's stance about the Oscarcast at a Dec. 17 membership meeting. In addition to the NAACP show, the WGA's also granted waivers to the Jan. 27 SAG Awards and the Feb. 23 Independent Spirit Awards while turning down the Golden Globes. It's also said it will turn down the Feb. 10 Grammys if asked. 

"The Guild examines each request like this individually and no decision is easy. Our ultimate goal is to resolve this strike by achieving a good contract. Because of the historic role the NAACP has played in struggles like ours, we think this decision is appropriate to jointly achieve our goals,” Verrone said.
Verrone said members have been showing "over-riding" support for the leadership's strategies. And he also said he expects several more interim deals to be announced later Tuesday.

Here's the entire press release --

LOS ANGELES -- The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) announced today at a press conference that it will sign an interim agreement with the NAACP for The 39th NAACP Image Awards, which will take place on February 14, 2008, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

The agreement will allow the hiring of WGA writers to script the show and means that there will be no picketing of the event by striking writers. In addition, the Guild has granted a waiver permitting the use of clips from motion pictures and television programs.

"The NAACP would like to thank the leadership of the WGA and its members for demonstrating their support of the NAACP and its historic mission by granting The NAACP Image Awards an interim agreement," said Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP. "The NAACP stands in solidarity with the Writers Guild in its fight for meaningful collective bargaining and the rights of all workers to make an honest and fair living."

Speaking at the press conference were Patric M. Verrone, president of the WGA West, NAACP Image Awards Committee Chair Clayola Brown, Vicangelo Bulluck, executive producer of the show, and WGA members Robert Eisele (screenwriter, The Great Debaters, executive producer, Resurrection Blvd.) and Mara Brock Akil (creator and executive producer, Girlfriends, The Game).

“The Guild examines each request like this individually and no decision is easy. Our ultimate goal is to resolve this strike by achieving a good contract. Because of the historic role the NAACP has played in struggles like ours, we think this decision is appropriate to jointly achieve our goals,” said Verrone.

Presented annually, the NAACP Image Awards is the nation's premier event celebrating the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice.

Comments

[Stuart Creque]

I imagine that there are some folks who would not take kindly to losing the opportunity to accept a Grammy at the traditional awards telecast. Given what happens to some record producers these days for far less serious affronts, I hope the security on Fairfax is beefed up.

[Rich]

COME ON ... DID ANYONE EVER DOUBT that WGA would NOT give a waiver to NAACP Image Awards?

WGA couldn't handle the WRATH that the NAACP would bring down on them if they did NOT give them a waiver.

Face it .... Veronne is SCARED of the NAACP & NOT the ACADEMY!!

[Sherry]

I hate to agree with you, but yeah...

That move is ALL pandering, and I am a black woman saying so.....

[Frank Sr]

Join us on feb 9,to let the public know,the truth,its going to be a bueatiful thing

[Writer707]

Hey Frank, doing your "thing" by running away when anyone challenges you on one of your propaganda shill posts on another thread and posting somewhere else? Do tell, why are you waiting until Feb 9th for your march? Why don't you do it earlier? Does it take that long to put together a bunch of shill signs? You're a pathetic fake. And if by some chance you're not, respond to posts that call you out and be a man.

As far as the awards shows, there's no hidden graciousness here, no pandering. The NAACP awards reward a proud and deserving minority group. The Oscars certainly reward performers as well, but they benefit ABC and the studios to the tune of millions. Anyone who doesn't understand why one is picketed and the other is granted a waiver is either naive or works for AMPTP.

[Frank Sr.]

Get your facts straight,I'm not the one that called it pandering some one else did,my God another person voiced an opinion different other than the wga,cicle the wagons!!!the god complex surfaces agian!!!!!The amptp are peices of s_____ and we all know that,and you know what!!! the wga is right,but just maybe ,maybe they went about in the wrong way and hurt alot of innocent people,at a very bad time of the year,and maybe may I dare say it without my head getting ripped off,david young should not have laughed about all the havoc he created in the l.a. times,he didn't hurt the network excutives did he? he played right into their hands,the havoc he created is being felt by the least who can bear it.As for feb.9 its happening and I'll be their.Se you soon,I'll wear a name tag

[Writer707]

Well it's about time, Frank, way to go. Nice to know there's a human being there, you really didn't sound like a real person up until now. I don't agree with your perception of some of the facts, but I 100% support your right to be heard. Good luck wkth your demonstration, I truly mean that.

[Sherry]

First of all, my name is Sherry, I live in Indianapolis and I am the one that said it was pandering. I have been following this mess from the beginning. First of all, please do not start telling me about the cause of the NAACP and their proud history. As a black woman, I am well aware of who and what the NAACP represents. But as wonderful as all that may be, honestly, what does any of that have to do with them receiving a waiver for an awards show? It's just an awards show like any other awards show. Know how I know? I HAVE ACTUALLY WATCHED IT FROM TIME TO TIME! The difference-it's predominatly black folks on stage and in the audience-everything else is the same-stars, wannbes, music, kudos...anything else you would see on any other award show.

That move is either politics, fear or both and I am really thinking the latter fits this situation. Now, if no other truth has ever been spoken on this site, the person that said the WGA did not want the wrath of the NAACP on their butt was telling the absolute truth.

No matter who one might feel is the responsible party for all this, just being on the outside it looks like fracturing and petty behavior abound on both sides. I miss my DSM and 30 Rock as much as the next person, but at this point, I could care less if they ever came back. I have a stack of books I've neglected for years, and I think it's time for me to start cracking a few open. But as I have said before, I'm under no illusions, as the writers on this site have made it absolutely clear that they really do not care what the public thinks, they just want their support(?).

Let me know how that works out for you.

[Writer707]

No, Sherry, what the writer's guild wants is a fair wage for reuse of their work. Just like a book author, just like a song author.

And again, race is meaningless in our qust. The simple difference between the Oscars and the NAACP awards: both celebrate achievement, which the guild has no problem with. One, however, either directly or indirectly generates hundreds of millions of dollars for the companies we're striking against. Guess which one we're picketing?

[Jim]

Writer707 sounds a LOT like Bill, the guy who calls everyone who disagrees with him a "shill" and compares union contracts to rape. Methinks he got hounded out because of his disgusting comments and decided to use a different name.