WGA Chief Negotiator Ellen Stutzman: Guild Is Ready to Meet Again When Studios ‘Recognize the Agenda Writers Absolutely Demand’
variety.comCynthia Littleton Business Editor Ellen Stutzman, the Writers Guild of America West’s chief negotiator, was out early Monday morning taking part in the family-themed picket that drew big crowds of striking writers and their children — including a few furry family members — to the sidewalks outside Netflix headquarters at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue in Hollywood.
Stutzman’s presence at the location that has been one of the most heavily trafficked picketing sites was praised by WGA members who feel that guild leaders are going the extra mile to provide support and communication on the strike that began May 2.
Stutzman, who brought her young son Mateo in a stroller, said the next steps in the process of coming to agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are self-evident. “The next step is for the companies to recognize that the agenda we put on the table is the one that writers absolutely demand, and that they’ve got to address it,” Stutzman told Variety. “It’s really as simple as that.
Saying ‘no’ to all these things is not going to get a deal.” The AMPTP called off talks with the WGA late on May 1, saying the sides were to far apart to reach an agreement before the midnight contract expiration deadline.
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