DGA negotiations begin as WGA strike enters day 9
The Directors Guild of America began its labor talks with Hollywood studios on Wednesday, with many of the same issues on the table as the Hollywood writers striking for improved wages and workplace protections.
The Writers Guild of America strike began last week, bringing some productions to a halt, most notably late-night talk shows and variety programming such as "Saturday Night Live." There was no word of any progress in negotiations between the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios.
In the shadow of that walkout, the DGA began its talks with AMPTP Wednesday.
"With the collective strength and unity of the full DGA membership, we are committed to winning a strong contract that sets a new path forward for our industry," members of the DGA negotiating team wrote in a message to the union's membership posted on its website.
According to the negotiators, the DGA contract priorities include wages addressing inflation, structural changes "to streaming residual formulas that account for the global growth of the audience," protecting DGA jurisdiction over foreign productions released domestically and improving safety on set by "expanding and encouraging training and addressing long workdays."
Streaming residuals are one of the focal points of the Writers Guild's negotiating team, with the union pushing for an overhaul of the formula to include higher compensation for more popular programs.
The WGA strike, which began May 2, has been having an impact in Hollywood. On Sunday, the "MTV Movie & TV Awards" live ceremony was scrubbed in favor of a pre-taped event due to celebrities unwilling to cross WGA picket lines.
Vice President Kamala Harris had backed out of her planned appearance at an MTV mental health awareness event in Carson on May 18 to avoid conflict with the WGA strike.
Harris was set to appear alongside a surprise celebrity guest and young leaders at a Cal State Dominguez Hills town hall to raise awareness of Mental Health Action Day, according to The Times.
Sources familiar with Harris' plans told The Times they hope the event will be rescheduled. Her decision came one day after President Joe Biden expressed support for striking writers, his first comments about the work stoppage.
"I sincerely hope the strike gets resolved, and writers are given a fair deal as soon as possible," Biden said Monday at a White House screening of "American Born Chinese" in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. "This is an iconic, meaningful American industry and we need the writers and all the workers to tell the stories of our nation, and the stories of all of us."
WGA negotiators said no new talks are scheduled with the AMPTP, and none are expected in the coming days with some observers saying the strike could last for months.