Writers Guild Files Unfair Practices Charge

The Writers Guild of America filed an unfair labor practices charge with the National Labor Relations Board against 13 Hollywood companies that it claimed are unlawfully withholding information about writers who are working in violation of the guild’s strike rules.

Separately, negotiators for the guild and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are scheduled to meet today to consider a formal revised contract proposal from the producers. Writers and producers, despite agreement on several points, are still sharply at odds over some key terms expected to be included in the formal proposal, according to sources familiar with the talks.

The formal proposal could lead to a vote on the revised contract by the guild’s 9,000 members. But settlement of the 15-week-old strike would appear unlikely if the guild’s board of directors recommends that the proposal be rejected.

The guild filed its unfair labor practices charge against units of Walt Disney Co.; Fox Inc.; Capital Cities/ABC Inc.; MCA Inc.; Paramount Pictures; Tri-Star Pictures; Viacom Productions and a number of smaller production companies. Several weeks ago, the union asked the companies to provide names of writers it alleged were working despite the strike.

In a statement, the producers alliance said it “will not give the Writers Guild of America the names.”

“They are not entitled to them,” the statement said.

In an earlier charge before the labor board, the producers claimed that the guild violates workers’ rights by seeking the names.