The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers responded Thursday to the Writers Guild of America statement accusing them of running a campaign of “calculated disinformation,” saying the committee’s “rhetoric is unfortunate.”
“Tomorrow’s discussion with the WGA is to determine whether we have a willing bargaining partner,” the AMPTP said in a statement obtained by TheWrap. “The WGA Bargaining Committee’s rhetoric is unfortunate. This strike has hurt thousands of people in this industry, and we take that very seriously. Our only playbook is getting people back to work.”
In a statement Thursday — WGA’s 94th day striking against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers — the union challenged Hollywood studios to present a “new playbook” ahead of their Friday meeting.
“Be willing to make a fair deal and begin to repair the damage your strikes and your business practices have caused the workers in this industry,” the statement from the WGA negotiating committee read.
“It is obviously past time for the companies to get a new playbook — one that recognizes the legitimate issues that caused these strikes and takes steps to address them,” they added.
The statement denounced what the union saw as the AMPTP’s continued insistence to approach their negotiations with the same “tired, anti-union playbook straight out of the 2007/08 strike” — tactics that they said include planting anonymous quotes in the media to fear-monger the striking workers.
Representatives from the WGA and Hollywood studios are due to meet Friday to discuss resuming contract negotiations. The meeting is the first sign of resumed negotiations in — and a possible end to — the labor action that has brought almost all Hollywood productions to a standstill.
