WGA’s David Goodman Hits Back At Latest Studio Response
In the last hour, the AMPTP made its first public remarks since the writers went on strike, calling its offer “generous”.
David Goodman, former WGA President who is a co-chair of the negotiating committee, has hit back at the studios’ response.
“We’ve raised issues about the longevity of writers,” he told Deadline. “It is clear to us in the AMPTP proposals that they are coming after writing staffs, that they are not interested in the longevity of writing careers. They want to turn it into a gig economy, a gig job. All of their proposals from AI to the day rate for comedy variety writers to dismissal of all the concerns we raised about free work for screenwriters, are signaling us that they have a plan to devalue writers so that less writers are hired and more pressure’s placed on those individuals that they do hire. We can’t stand for that. Nothing they said in these remarks, do anything to tell me otherwise.”
Goodman, who was on the picket line outside Disney, added that it is sticking with its proposals but that it is ready to talk to the AMPTP “as soon as they’re willing to get serious about our proposals”.
Earlier today, Paramount CEO Bob Bakish became the first studio boss to discuss the issue after the company’s latest financials.
He said that the writers are “essential in creating content” and hoped that they can come to a resolution that is “good for everyone fairly quickly” But he added that the company has “many levers to pull and that will allow us to manage through the strike even if it’s an extended duration”.
Family Guy and Honor Society writer Goodman said, “He sounds scared. I mean, honestly, I see that as like, Oh, he’s scared. All we care about is making a good deal for our members and we know that the companies that we’re negotiating with, can afford it.”
Source: Deadline
