Movie, TV Writers Edge Closer to Strike

Negotiators for the Writers Guild of America advised members to reject a final contract offer from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers at a meeting Tuesday night in the Hollywood Palladium.

The recommendation sharply increased the likelihood of a strike by movie and television writers.

“We’re terribly disappointed,” said a spokesman for the alliance. “We feel the (final) proposals are reasonable.”

The guild’s 6,500-member western division was scheduled to vote on the offer Tuesday night.

But results of the vote will not be disclosed until the balance of the 9,000-member guild votes in New York tonight .

About 1,700 movie and TV writers attended the Hollywood meeting. Negotiators asked members for strike authorization without setting a specific date for a work stoppage.

A three-year contract between the guild and about 200 production companies, including all the major studios and networks, expired at midnight Monday.

The final offer came Tuesday afternoon, after an all-night bargaining session. Sources on both sides said the offer failed to close a gap between writers and producers on several major issues, including TV residuals, foreign residuals and creative rights.

According to the producers’ spokesman, the final offer included a substantial pay hike and an increase in cable TV residuals.

In a statement, guild negotiators said the company offer was calculated to “force a strike.”

A short strike might quickly affect some soap operas and other daily TV shows. A prolonged strike could seriously disrupt movie production and might delay the start of the fall TV season.

The guild struck for two weeks in 1985 and for three months in 1981.