ATA: Its Time For WGA Leaders “To Start Bargaining In Earnest” For New Franchise Agreement
Saying that “the time has come for the WGAs leadership to start bargaining in earnest,” leaders of t..
Saying that “the time has come for the WGAs leadership to start bargaining in earnest,” leaders of the Association of Talent Agents have told their member-agencies that they hope the WGA will return to the bargaining table with a counteroffer to the proposals the ATA made on Friday to end their 59-day standoff over packaging fees and agency affiliations with corporately related production entities.
“Our second offer is a starting place for renewed negotiations – an opportunity to press reset,” ATA executive director Karen Stuart and ATA president Jim Gosnell — whos also president and CEO of the Agency for the Performing Arts, told the ATAs members on Sunday. The guild should not subject this offer to another flat-out rejection without counter. We encourage them to sit back down with us, roll up our sleeves and together work through the issues.”
Read their letter here.
The ATA appears to think the ball is now in the WGAs court — that the guild should respond to its latest proposals so that a dialogue can begin. ATA officials noted that during Fridays meeting, WGA leaders didnt ask any questions about any of their proposals.
The WGA, however, appears to think the ball is back in the ATAs court — that its waiting for the ATA to codify its latest proposals into contract language so that the guild can “formulate the appropriate response.”
The two sides met Friday for the first time since April 12, after which the guild order all of its members to fire their agents who refuse to sign its new Agency Code of Conduct. The ATAs latest offer includes a 2% revenue sharing with writers from backend profits on shows the agencies package – up from 0.8% in its initial offer.
The WGA, however, said after Fridays meeting that it wants the ATA to codify its proposals into contract language before responding. “Although there was cause for concern, including a revenue sharing proposal that instead of 1% is now 2%, the presentation was wide ranging and complex,” the guild told its members after the meeting. “We have asked for contract language on their proposals in order to formulate the appropriate response. As weve stated, whatever solution we find, it will have to address conflicts of interest and realign agency incentives with those of their writer clients.”
In their message to the ATAs members, Stuart and Gosnell said: “We are writing to update you on Fridays meeting with the leaders of the Writers Guild of America. As you know, that meeting was scheduled after ATA reachRead More – Source
