WGA West president Patric Verrone has just made it official, telling members to put away their picket signs.
Verrone notified members about today's approvals of the new three-year deal by WGA's ruling bodies and explained the details of member votes on ending the strike and ratifying the contract.
"There will be no picketing Monday or Tuesday: all pickets are suspended until the WGA membership votes to either end or continue the strike," he added.
Given the strong support Verrone and other leaders received at Saturday night's membership meetings in pushing for the deal, it's nearly impossible that the membership would reject it.
Here's his entire messsage...
Dear Fellow Members,
I am are pleased to inform you that this morning the WGA Negotiating Committee unanimously and unconditionally recommended the terms of the proposed 2008 MBA to the WGAW Board and WGAE Council. The Board and Council then voted unanimously to recommend the contract, and to submit it to the joint membership of WGAW and WGAE for ratification. The ratification vote will take place over the next few weeks by mail ballot and at a special membership meeting. You will receive ballot materials and a notice of informational meetings during the next week.
There is, however, another issue to address: whether to lift the restraining order, and end the strike, during the ratification process. We are asking the members to decide this issue. A vote will take place on Tuesday, February 12, 2008.
A yes vote means you are voting to end the strike immediately; a no vote means you are voting to continue the strike during the ratification process.
Ballots can be cast at the Guild Theater from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. If you aren’t able to cast a ballot in person, proxy ballots can be downloaded at http://www.wga.org/contract_07/proxy-2008.pdf and faxed. Proxy ballots and voting instructions are at wga.org. Until the votes are counted, we are still on strike. We will announce the vote count on Tuesday night.
There will be no picketing Monday or Tuesday: all pickets are suspended until the WGA membership votes to either end or continue the strike.
Thank you for your solidarity and support. We are all in this together.
Best,
Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW
I am are pleased to inform you that this morning the WGA Negotiating Committee unanimously and unconditionally recommended the terms of the proposed 2008 MBA to the WGAW Board and WGAE Council. The Board and Council then voted unanimously to recommend the contract, and to submit it to the joint membership of WGAW and WGAE for ratification. The ratification vote will take place over the next few weeks by mail ballot and at a special membership meeting. You will receive ballot materials and a notice of informational meetings during the next week.
There is, however, another issue to address: whether to lift the restraining order, and end the strike, during the ratification process. We are asking the members to decide this issue. A vote will take place on Tuesday, February 12, 2008.
A yes vote means you are voting to end the strike immediately; a no vote means you are voting to continue the strike during the ratification process.
Ballots can be cast at the Guild Theater from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. If you aren’t able to cast a ballot in person, proxy ballots can be downloaded at http://www.wga.org/contract_07/proxy-2008.pdf and faxed. Proxy ballots and voting instructions are at wga.org. Until the votes are counted, we are still on strike. We will announce the vote count on Tuesday night.
There will be no picketing Monday or Tuesday: all pickets are suspended until the WGA membership votes to either end or continue the strike.
Thank you for your solidarity and support. We are all in this together.
Best,
Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW
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Posted by: marie the poet in the street | February 11, 2008 at 01:29 PM