On Friday, 52 New York state assemblymembers and senators called on the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to return to the negotiating table with the striking Writers Guild of America.
“We understand that, despite many weeks at the bargaining table, the AMPTP rejected a range of Writers Guild proposals that are essential to the well-being of writers in the episodic television, comedy-variety, and feature film areas,” the lawmakers said in open letters published Friday by WGA East.
“We call on the AMPTP, and its affiliated companies, to listen closely to what their writers are telling them about the difficulties in maintaining careers as streaming continues to transform the industry. We call on you to negotiate in good faith to reach a reasonable agreement with the Writers Guilds,” the letters continued.
The State Assembly letter was written by Bronx Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner and co-signed by 32 Assemblymembers. The State Senate letter was penned by Queens State Sen. Jessica Ramos and cosigned by 18 of her colleagues in Albany’s upper chamber.
“The writers on strike aren’t just standing up for dignified wages. This contract fight gets to the heart of existential issues facing the future of work,” said Ramos. “My colleagues and I are proud to stand with the Writers Guild in their demands for good faith bargaining.”
Both letters point out that the WGA strike, which began a month ago, came shortly after New York politicians approved an expansion of the state’s film and television tax credit to entice AMPTP-member studios to shoot more projects in the Empire State.
“This film and television production incentive provides hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits every year to companies represented by the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers,” the letters read. “It is disturbing to note that the same companies that will benefit enormously from this expanded tax credit have failed to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with the Writers Guilds of America, East and West, whose members are on strike across the country.”
The WGA strike is expected to last at least another month, as the AMPTP is currently negotiating a new contract with the Directors Guild of America and has talks with SAG-AFTRA scheduled to begin on June 7. In a memo released on Thursday, the WGA said that it will only resume talks if the AMPTP signals that it is willing to “to negotiate with the WGA on our full agenda” and present a counteroffer on all elements of its proposed contract.
