Writers Guild and Studios Conclude Latest Round of Talks, More Negotiations Scheduled for Friday

Following an extensive day of negotiations that delved into issues such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data transparency, Thursday’s meeting between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) came to a close in the evening. The parties have plans to resume discussions on the following day.

Insiders familiar with the negotiations revealed that much of the session was characterized by alternating meetings between the two parties, followed by several caucuses, during which representatives from both labor and management conferred separately. These negotiations, which commenced at approximately 8:30 a.m. and concluded around 6 p.m. at the AMPTP’s offices in the Sherman Oaks Galleria, centered on key priorities for the WGA, notably, artificial intelligence and residual compensation linked to the success of individual streaming projects.

Sources within the studios reported that progress was made on both fronts, but there remains unfinished business regarding these issues, as well as concerns related to staffing requirements for television projects. An overarching issue surrounding transparency and compensation in the realm of streaming involves determining the metrics for gauging success. AI also remained a contentious point of discussion for both parties throughout the session, according to multiple sources on the studio side who received briefings about the negotiations.

It is understood that the two sides are scheduled to reconvene on Friday, with the participation of four prominent Hollywood executives. The WGA negotiating committee confirmed this late on Thursday night, communicating to its members, “The WGA and AMPTP met for bargaining today and will meet again tomorrow. Your Negotiating Committee appreciates all the messages of solidarity and support we have received the last few days, and ask as many of you as possible to come out to the picket lines tomorrow.” It is noteworthy that the statement was issued solely by the WGA negotiating committee and did not involve the AMPTP, unlike the previous day’s joint update to members.

Once again, the prominent figures from major Hollywood companies, including Disney’s Bob Iger, Universal’s Donna Langley, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, participated in Thursday’s bargaining session, as they had on Wednesday. Their unusual presence (as Hollywood firms typically delegate labor relations representatives for negotiations) and the issuance of a joint statement by the WGA and the AMPTP, their first in the ongoing contentious negotiations of 2023, had sparked optimism among observers on Wednesday, with rumors circulating on Thursday suggesting that a deal might be imminent.

However, the negotiations concluded on Thursday evening without a finalized agreement, even though sources emphasized that significant concessions were made during the talks.

As the ongoing WGA strike nears its 143rd day, it is edging closer to becoming the lengthiest strike in the union’s history, nearing the 154-day duration of the 1988 work stoppage. This extended strike, coupled with the concurrent SAG-AFTRA strike that commenced on July 14, has tested the unity of labor, the financial resilience of studios, and the determination of individuals throughout the entertainment industry.