Negotiations in Writers’ Strike Halted

Negotiators for the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke off talks with a federal mediator Thursday evening without bargaining progress and without any plan to meet again, according to a producers’ spokesman.

Meanwhile, the prospect of a second broadcast industry walkout loomed as two major performers’ unions warned that they will strike radio and TV commercial makers March 21, unless there is progress on negotiations for a new contract.

The warning from the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists came as the strike by TV and movie writers against producers, major studios and the CBS, NBC and ABC television networks entered its fourth day.

“The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the networks have just broken off the talks, which were called under the auspices of a federal mediator. In view of the seriousness of the strike and its impact on the industry, we had hoped that continued talks might bring us better results,” said Mona Mangan, executive director of the Writers Guild of America-East, who was at the talks at the alliance headquarters in Sherman Oaks. “We deeply regret that the companies do not view these talks as moving us closer together.”

Cheryl Rhoden, another guild spokeswoman, said the producers broke off the talks and refused to schedule new meetings, despite a request by the writers.

“We’re not even in the same neighborhood,” a producers’ spokesman said.

He said the two sides remained far apart on such issues as the producers’ demand for softened one-hour television show residuals and the writers’ demands for increased creative rights.

The writers’ spokeswomen did not dispute the observation.

The guild said it plans to picket the CBS Television City complex this morning. The 9,000-member union has been on strike since Monday.

In a bid to end the walkout, officials of the alliance and the guild had resumed talks earlier in the day under a news blackout requested by the federal mediator, Leonard Farrell.