Representatives for the striking Writers Guild of America are set to meet with counterparts of the Alliance of Motion Picture and TV Producers Friday, marking the fourth consecutive day of face-to-face negotiations.
Considering the two sides hadn't sat down in the same room from the time the strike began on May 2 to last Friday, August 11, that has to count as progress.
Also read: Settling Strike With Unions Could Cost Studios $450-$600 Million, Moody’s Estimates
Perusing the Hollywood trades, there doesn't appear to be any kind of imminent breakthrough, with both sides keeping cards to their chests. Recent leaks to outlets including Bloomberg by the AMPTP, however, reveal a renewed will on behalf of studio suppliers to end the work stoppage, which has exceeded initial three-month time-span predictions.
The WGA is still reportedly pushing for across-the-board pay raises and streaming residuals based on transparent viewership metrics, as well as the restoration of the traditional "writers room" via minimum staffing and guaranteed days of employment.
It appears that the AMPTP is focused on getting a collective bargaining agreement done with WGA before dealing with striking writers represented by SAG/AFTRA, who went on strike a month ago.
