American Writers on Strike - WGGB Pledges Support

An official statement from the WGGB

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain pledges support to colleagues in the Writers Guild of America who have voted to go on strike.

We call on our members – and all UK writers – to refuse to break the strike by filling in for US writers in dispute. WGGB General Secretary Bernie Corbett said: "Strikebreaking would at best bring a short-term payday, but would have a devastating long-term effect on a writers' US career."

The 12,000 members of the Writers Guild of America are striking to get better payments when the shows they write are re-sold as DVDs, internet downloads and mobile phone transmissions. Weeks of talks with representatives of US TV networks and film studios broke down earlier this week.

Last night nearly 3,000 WGA members packed the Los Angeles Convention Center. At this meeting, the largest membership meeting in WGA history, writers expressed their anger at the companies' refusal to bargain seriously.

Under UK trade union laws the WGGB cannot issue a strike instruction, nor can it discipline any members who defy the strike, however the WGGB points out the serious implications of the WGA strike rules.

Rule 13 of the WGA Strike Rules states: "The Guild does not have the authority to discipline non members for strike breaking and/or scab writing. However, the Guild can and will bar that writer from future Guild membership. This policy has been strictly enforced in the past and has resulted in convincing many would be strike breakers to refrain from seriously harming the Guild and its members during a strike."

Without WGA membership, it is virtually impossible for a writer to work for the main networks and studios in the USA.

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain recalls that during the last WGA strike in 1988, there was solid support by UK writers, with very few cases of strikebreaking. We expect the same to be the case this time round as well.

At the time of writing it was not known when the strike would officially begin. It follows a 90 per cent vote by members in favour of action. The TV networks and film studios, represented by the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have refused to budge from their existing DVD deal, which pays the writer a mere 4 cents on each $15 DVD, and would extend the same minimal terms to internet downloads and mobile phone viewing.

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain, along with writers' guilds in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa and other countries, is a signatory to the "Auckland Declaration", signed in 2000, which states:

"To the greatest extent permitted by contract and law, the guilds pledge to honor work stoppages, publicize information about work stoppages to their repective memberships, and to lend all aid possible to each other in support of negotiating goals."

Corbett said: "This means we strongly advise our members not to engage in strikebreaking, and on top of that if we learn of any cases of strikebreaking either by WGGB members or non-members, we will not hesitate to inform the WGA so that they can follow it up according to their rules.

"As it happens the Writers' Guild of Great Britain has been able to negotiate satisfactory terms with UK broadcasters covering DVDs, internet downloads, mobile phones, etc. It is right that we should support our American colleagues as they fight to achieve the same kind of terms.

"We are contacting the major UK broadcasters and producers, and the UK Film Council, asking them not to dump UK material into the US market, and not to dress up American projects to look as though they are British. Any such manoeuvres would bring at best a short-term advantage, whereas the adverse consequences could last for years.

"Last time the WGA went on strike, in 1988, it lasted five months and for all that time WGGB members kept up their support. We are sure that this time our members will show the same discipline and solidarity. In a global industry, it is in our interests as well as theirs."

The WGGB will keep members informed about the progress of the WGA strike by emails and postings on our website. Members can also get information by checking www.wga.org or www.wgaeast.org. WGGB members with individual queries should contact the Guild on 020 7833 0777 or email [email protected]

Edited November 4, 200718 yr by Sylph

from tvguide- (not sure if posted, if so then sorry...)

The bubble won't pop for television's soap operas until the new year arrives, as most shows have enough scripts in the hopper to keep plots twisting and cliffs hanging for at least two more months. As summarized by the Hollywood Reporter, Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful and As the World Turns currently possess inventory to take them through at least January 2008, while Guiding Light might be able to soldier on an extra month beyond that.

The story from ABC, similarly, has All My Children, General Hospital and One Life to Live in shape to not make like Mary J. Blige and cry, "No more drama" until at least the beginning of January. As an Alphabet rep tells the trade, "ABC's daytime dramas are written well into the new year, and we will continue to produce original programming with no repeats and without interruption."

Perhaps with the writers contracted to the Writer's Guild, this will leave daytime producers with the the need to take action and hire new, up and coming writers. Some need blood is definitely needed after the sad news DAYS fans just received.

http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2536

Picketing Shifts:

9am – 1pm

1pm – 5pm

CBS RADFORD STUDIOS (Where Passions Tapes)

4024 Radford Avenue

Studio City, CA 91604

Meeting Point: In front of Main Gate on Radford Ave.

Parking Option: Street parking around site.

CBS TELEVISION CITY (Where B&B and Y&R Tapes)

7800 Beverly Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Meeting Point: Ge nesee Ave Gate

Parking Option: Streets North of Beverly Blvd or Grove Parking Structure

CULVER STUDIOS

9336 W Washington Blvd

Culver City, CA 90232

Meeting Point: Gate 3- Ince Gate

Parking Option: Street parking in neighborhood south of Studio

DISNEY STUDIOS

500 S Buena Vista Street

Burbank, California 91521

Meeting Point: Meet west of the main gate on Alameda

Parking Option: Neighbourhood streets east of Disney (Parkside Dr.)

FOX STUDIOS

10301 W Pico Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90064

Meeting Point: Main Gate on Motor Ave. & Pico Blvd.

Parking Option: On Motor Ave near Cheviot Recreation Center or Century City Mall. Cheviot Hills Recreational Center Parking Lot, off Motor Ave (LA Parks and Rec) Walkable to Fox Lot.

HOLLYWOOD CENTER STUDIOS

1040 N Las Palmas Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90038

Meeting Point: Las Palmas Gate

Parking Option: Along Las Palmas South of Santa Monica or along Willoughby Ave

NBC BURBANK (Where DAYS tapes)

3000 W Alameda Ave

Burbank, CA

Meeting Point: Under the Johnny Carson sign - in the park

Parking Option: Street parking on California

PROSPECT STUDIOS (Where GH Tapes)

4151 Prospect Ave

Los Angeles, CA

Meeting Point: Main Gate on Prospect Ave

Parking Option: Street parking on Prospect Ave.

PARAMOUNT STUDIOS / RALEIGH STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD

5555 Melrose Avenue & 5300 Melrose Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90038

Meeting Point: Windsor Gate

Parking Option: Streets south of Melrose

RALEIGH STUDIOS MANHATTAN BEACH

1600 Rosecrans Ave

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Meeting Point: Main Gate on Redondo Ave and 33rd Street

Parking Option: Office Depot and Shopping Center

SONY PICTURES STUDIOS

10202 W. Washington Blvd

Culver City, CA 90232

Meeting Point: Gate 5--Main Gate

Parking Option: Streets SW Corner of Studio (Culver & Overland). Culver City veterans park (across the Street From Sony Studios (Walking Distance) over 200 Parking spaces in Public Park Lot)

SUNSET GOWER STUDIOS

1438 N. Gower Street

Hollywood, CA 90028

Meeting Point: Gordon Gate (Gordon & Fountain)

Parking Option: Modern Parking, 6255 W Sunset Blvd # 920

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

100 Universal City Plaza

Universal City, CA 91608

Meeting Point: Meet at the Metro stop on Lankershim & Campo de Cahuenga (NW corner)

Parking Options: MTA Parking lot - Walking distance to Lankershim Side Gates of Universal Studios & MTA Overflow Lot. Entrance off Ventura Blvd. near Lankershim Blvd.

WARNER BROS. STUDIOS

4000 Warner Boulevard

Burbank, CA 91522

Meeting Place: Gate 2-3 on Olive

Parking Option: Street parking around studio

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where the writers are picketing, can people go watch (or maybe heckle with signs like "Guza the Luza" or "We want General Hospital, not General Mobspital" or "Lethal Lynn Latham is killing Y&R")? Or is it the location closed off to the public?

^nope toups, its open to the public. the prospect studios is actually really open to the public. they have a gate and all but the building with the offices serve as the wall and the windoes are right at the street. i use to go to soaptalk every weekend and they tape there. actually, houses are across the street.

the nbc burbank studio's is pretty open and where they are pickiting at is actually off the property of the studio but is visable from the offices.

the cbs studios, not so much.

This is one occupation where a strike can't do a lot of good. They can so easily be replaced. There are so many more people capable of doing the job than there are openings. It won't last long. The writers have no leverage.

The networks cannot survive without union writers. So yeah, they do have a whole lot of leverage.

Should this strike last longer than expected, and soaps run out of scripts, what will happen? I specifically ask this question in regards to soaps like Y&R and B&B, since both Latham and Bell are both their soaps head writer and executive producer. Since both are members of the WGA, would they also have to neglect their executive producing duties? No doubt many EP's will contribute to the writing process, but Latham and Bell simply can't.

Should this strike last longer than expected, and soaps run out of scripts, what will happen? I specifically ask this question in regards to soaps like Y&R and B&B, since both Latham and Bell are both their soaps head writer and executive producer. Since both are members of the WGA, would they also have to neglect their executive producing duties? No doubt many EP's will contribute to the writing process, but Latham and Bell simply can't.

If production continues for soaps after they run out of scripts and the strike is still going on, but I'd expect they might just do the EP duties but not the writing duties...just hire scabs, mabye? Not sure if they would get any say in storyline or not since that might violate their terms with the WGA....

Can Jean Pissant go on strike and not come back?

CBS RADFORD STUDIOS (Where Passions Tapes)

4024 Radford Avenue

Studio City, CA 91604

Meeting Point: In front of Main Gate on Radford Ave.

Parking Option: Street parking around site.

I thought Passions had to move to another studio.......

Was that just a rumor?

It's official:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21570821/

intersting - some reports claim soaps would bedoomed early on ... other say they will be okay til jan. only time will tell.

So will actors be at work tomorrow? or are all the studios going to be dark like when they get Christmas break. I thought they could still tape some shows with the scripts that are already written?

So will actors be at work tomorrow? or are all the studios going to be dark like when they get Christmas break. I thought they could still tape some shows with the scripts that are already written?

as of right niow it looks like actors, producers, etc will all be at work - but some may pick not to cross the picket lines.

and studuios are hardly ever dark- even on xmas. trust me.