The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) has released details of its August 11 comprehensive package proposal to the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
What's Happening:
- The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) shared in a press release their latest comprehensive package proposal to the Writers Guild of America (WGA) as part of strike negotiations.
- In the latest proposal, it would include an increase in wages, which the studios says is the highest wage increase for WGA in 35 years. According to the press release, some residual pay would increase.
- Written material that was produced by AI would not be considered literary material, and viewership data would be shared confidentially with the WGA, so there is increased data transparency.
- In a statement from Carol Lombardini, president of the AMPTP, she shared:"Our priority is to end the strike so that valued members of the creative community can return to what they do best and to end the hardships that so many people and businesses that service the industry are experiencing. We have come to the table with an offer that meets the priority concerns the writers have expressed. We are deeply committed to ending the strike and are hopeful that the WGA will work toward the same resolution."
- In response, WGA expressed the notion that the latest offer was made in good faith, stating: "This wasn’t a meeting to make a deal. This was a meeting to get us to cave, which is why, not 20 minutes after we left the meeting, the AMPTP released its summary of their proposals."
- Earlier this month, the WGA and AMPTP agreed to resume negotiations, which was the first time this has happened since the writers have been on strike.
Details of the package are:
Significantly higher compensation:
- This is the highest wage increase for the WGA in 35 years: a compounded 13% increase over the three-year contract, with an increase of 5% in year one; 4% in year two; and 3.5% in year three.
- On top of wage increases, a 15% increase in minimum weekly rates for Article 14 writers (other than Story Editors or Executive Story Editors) in the first year of the agreement with further general wage increases in the second and third years of the agreement.
This would take a writer from:
- $9,888/week to $11,371/week for guarantees of up to 9 weeks;
- $8,240/week to $9,476/week for guarantees of 10-19 weeks; and
- $7,412/ week to $8,524/week for guarantees of 20-29 weeks (all are 15% increases)
High Budget SVOD Residual Increases:
- Total worldwide (domestic and foreign) residuals would increase from $72,067 to $87,546 per episode for 3 exhibition years.