WGA Says Not to Expect DGA Deal to End Strike

variety.com:

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer This is not 2008. That was the message sent on Thursday by the Writers Guild of America, which argues that the current strike — now a month old — will not end the way the last one did 15 years ago.

In 2008, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers got a deal with the Directors Guild of America, which set the pattern for the deal that ended the writers strike after 100 days.

In an email to members, the WGA argued that the studios are once again pursuing a similar “divide and conquer” strategy. “That strategy, however, depends on divided unions,” the WGA told its members. “This year is different.” The WGA argued that the Hollywood guilds are united in a way they weren’t in 2008, and that they won’t be forced to go along with “pattern” bargaining. “The essence of the strategy is to make deals with some unions and tell the rest that’s all there is,” the WGA said. “It’s gaslighting, and it only works if unions are divided.” The WGA emphasized that the strike will only end when the companies agree to negotiate “on our full agenda.” The DGA is currently negotiating its contract with the AMPTP, and it has only a few days left before the studios are scheduled to begin talks with SAG-AFTRA.

The DGA is focused primarily on getting a better deal on streaming residuals, with a formula that will account for the growth in international subscribers.