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☆ After Outcry, Writers Guild Tries to Explain Silence on Hamas Attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Nicole Sperling | More About Nicole Sperling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

They also noted that other major Hollywood unions had issued statements condemning the attack. “I hope this letter goes a long way to sort of calming some of it down,” said Mr. Gordon, who signed the open letter to the guild. He will change his guild membership status to “financial core,” according to his letter. Under that designation, he will still receive the contract benefits earned by the guild but he will no longer be able to vote or attend any guild meetings. “If one cannot condemn, clearly, and without reservation, what Hamas perpetrated, one’s moral compass is absent, not broken.”

Persons: ”, Meredith Stiehm, Michele Mulroney, Betsy Thomas, Jerry Seinfeld, Eric Roth, Amy Sherman, Palladino, Maisel, “, Howard Gordon, Gordon, Dan Gordon, “ Wyatt Earp, Mr, Gordon’s, pusillanimous Organizations: Writers Guild of America West, The New York Times, Toronto Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Polish

☆ Writers Guild Faces Backlash for Not Condemning Hamas Attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Nicole Sperling | More About Nicole Sperling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Just weeks after the Writers Guild of America displayed solidarity by ending a monthslong strike and voting overwhelmingly in favor of a new contract with the major entertainment companies, the union is being roiled by a fight over its lack of a public statement condemning the Hamas attack on Israel. On Oct. 15, eight days after the attack, a group of screenwriters signed an open letter to the Writers Guild asking why it had not issued a statement condemning the attack. The letter now has more than 300 signers, including Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Sherman-Palladino (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) and Gideon Raff (“Homeland”). Later Friday, Meredith Stiehm, the president of the Writers Guild of America West, sent an email to members who had inquired about the lack of a response. “For these reasons, we have decided not to comment publicly.”Calls to the union on Monday were not returned.

Persons: Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Sherman, Palladino, Maisel, Gideon Raff, ”, Meredith Stiehm, “, ” Jonathan Greenblatt, Maha Dakhil, Israel, Dakhil, Bryan Lourd, Natalie Portman, Tom Cruise, Reese Witherspoon Organizations: Writers Guild of America, Writers Guild, The New York Times, Defamation League, Hollywood, Creative Artists Agency, The Times Locations: Israel

☆ Hollywood writers ratify new contract with studios
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Writers Guild of America East members walk a picket line at the Paramount+ Summit outside the Paramount Building in Times Square in New York City on May 17, 2023The Writers Guild of America has officially ratified its new three-year contract with Hollywood studios. The guild on Monday announced that 99% of its membership voted to ratify the new deal, with 8,435 votes for "yes" and only 90 for "no." "Through solidarity and determination, we have ratified a contract with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of our combined membership," said Meredith Stiehm, president of Writers Guild of America West. The guild also negotiated higher contribution rates to health benefits and pensions, as well as a guaranteed number of writers in writers' rooms for television shows. "Until the studios make a deal that addresses the needs of performers, WGA members will be on the picket lines, walking side-by-side with SAG-AFTRA in solidarity," said Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, president of Writers Guild of America East.

Persons: Meredith Stiehm, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen Organizations: Guild of America East, Paramount, Guild of America, Hollywood, Monday, Writers Guild of America West, WGA, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, Disney, Netflix, Universal, Warner Bros, Discovery, SAG, Writers Guild of America East, Comcast, CNBC, NBCUniversal Locations: New York City, NBCUniversal

☆ TV and film writers prepare to return to work under new contract: 'I feel like we're entering a new era'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

After 148 days of striking, TV and film writers reached a tentative agreement with studios and streamers regarding their work contracts. WGA members will vote on ratifying the agreement between Oct. 2 and 9, with some writers going back to work as early as next week. That could mean more early career writers get an opportunity to work and gain experience on the ground. Without an opportunity for syndication and international distribution on streaming services, residual pay for writers has been cut significantly as well. The contract also hikes minimum pay for various types of television shows and establishes minimum pay for late night talk shows on streaming services, like "The Amber Ruffin Show," which did not previously have established minimums.

Persons: Dylan Guerra, Guerra, Jonathan Handel, Amber Ruffin, Kyra Jones, who's, Handel Organizations: Writers Guild of America, United Auto Workers, UAW, Alliance, Television Producers, Warner Bros ., Netflix, WGA, Screen, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, CNBC Locations: Ontario , California

ELLEN STUTZMANEllen Stutzman was the one sitting across the table from Lombardini in the failed negotiations that led to the writers strike. Stutzman, also an attorney, took over as chief negotiator for the Writers Guild on Feb. 28, just two weeks before contract talks began. She still has the title from her previous role: assistant executive director for the Writers Guild of America West. Drescher's less-known counterparts on the writers' side — technically two unions that unite for negotiations and strikes — are Michael Winship and Meredith Stiehm. Winship is president of the Writers Guild of America East and Stiehm president of its counterpart in the West.

Persons: ”, CAROL LOMBARDINI, Carol Lombardini, she’s, ELLEN STUTZMAN Ellen Stutzman, David Young, Stutzman, ” Stutzman, “, Lombardini, Bob Iger, David Zaslav, Ted Sarandos, Iger, Sarandos, “ Lilyhammer, Max, FRAN DRESCHER Fran Drescher, Drescher, she's, ” Drescher, Michael Winship, Meredith Stiehm, Winship, Stiehm, He's, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, DUNCAN CRABTREE, Duncan Crabtree, Crabtree, Davis, ” Crabtree, I’d, Krysta Fauria, Damian Dovarganes Organizations: ANGELES, —, Hollywood, Alliance, Television Producers, University of Chicago, Stanford, Writers, Writers Guild of America, AP, WGA, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University, Service Employees International Union, United Healthcare Workers, Writers Guild, Disney, Warner Bros . Discovery, Netflix, Warner, HBO, Screen, American Federation of Television, SAG, Associated Press, Yorkers, CBS, PBS, Sesame, AFTRA's, Georgetown, University of California Locations: Hollywood, Lombardini, Boston, Queens , New York, IRELAND, Ireland, Memphis, London, Dallas, Crabtree, Los Angeles

Unions have nowhere near the pull, or members, that they did decades ago, yet something has changed. Fain became president of United Auto Workers this year, but his time with the union began at that then-Chrysler plant in 1994. He vowed to clean up the union and unite members following a wide-ranging scandal that landed two former presidents in prison. The union under Fain has threatened to hit more plants if there is not enough movement from automakers during negotiations. Corporate greed is the problem.”Sean O'Brien, International Brotherhood of TeamstersMuch of what you need to know about Teamsters president Sean O'Brien is right there in his handle for X/Twitter: @TeamstersSOB.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, Fain “, ” Fain, “ We’re, ” Sean O'Brien, Sean O'Brien, James Hoffa, Jimmy Hoffa, Hoffa, O’Brien, O'Brien, ” O’Brien, Fran Drescher, AFTRA Fran Drescher, ”, She's, they're, Drescher, “, —, Television Producers, Michael Winship, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, WGAE’s, Takeuchi Cullen, ” Meredith Stiehm, Rich Talarico, Peele Organizations: Unions, Hollywood, UPS, United Auto Workers, Chrysler, UAW, General Motors, Ford, Fiat Chrysler, Detroit, Brotherhood, Teamsters, Amazon, Screen Actors, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, SAG, Associated Press, Alliance, Television Producers, Writers Guild of America, WGA, Television, Writers Guild of America East, “, CBS, Writers Guild of America West Locations: Missouri , Michigan, Ohio, Kokomo , Indiana, Boston, Hollywood

☆ Bill Maher is returning to air despite the writers’ strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Bill Maher said his show is returning to air — despite the WGA writer’s strike raging on. “Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing,” Maher said on Instagram Wednesday. “It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work.”Maher’s show is an HBO original. Maher said he is not willing “to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much.”“Real Time with Bill Maher” is not the only show coming back on air. Maher said the quality of his show won’t be as good without his writers but that he will “honor the spirit of the strike.” Maher said he won’t perform written pieces such as a monologue, desk piece, New Rules or editorial.

Persons: Bill Maher, ” Maher, ”, Maher, Writers Guild of America West, “, Bill Maher ”, Drew Barrymore, Sherri Shepherd, Jennifer Hudson Organizations: New, New York CNN, WGA, HBO, Warner Bros ., Labor, Writers Guild of America Locations: New York, “

☆ Netflix shareholders withhold support for executive pay package
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

June 1 (Reuters) - Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) shareholders on Thursday withheld their support for the company's executive pay package, in a non-binding vote that followed a call by striking Hollywood writers to reject the proposed 2023 compensation. "While investors have long taken issue with Netflix's executive pay, the compensation structure is more egregious against the backdrop of the strike," wrote Writers Guild West President Meredith Stiehm. Netflix shareholders withheld support for the executive compensation structure for 2023, in a non-binding "say on pay" vote. Last year, the company's executive pay package won support from just 27% of the shareholder votes cast. After last year's vote, Netflix said it made changes including instituting a salary cap for its co-chief executives and a performance-based bonus plan.

Persons: Guild of America West, Meredith Stiehm, Stiehm, Reed Hastings, Ted Sarandos, Greg Peters, Peters, Ari Emanuel, David Zaslav, Dawn Chmielewski, David Gregorio, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Netflix Inc, Guild of America, Guild West, Comcast Corp, Netflix, Hollywood, Endeavor, Warner Bros Discovery, Alliance, Television Producers, SAG, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles

☆ How will TV shows be affected by the Hollywood writers strike?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mike BlakeLOS ANGELES, May 1 (Reuters) - Thousands of Hollywood film and television writers will go on strike starting Tuesday, an action that will disrupt TV production. How will the walkout by the Writers Guild of America's affect viewers' favorite TV shows and movies? Which shows will feel the first impact of the strike? A protracted strike could delay the start of the fall television season, when networks debut new scripted shows and fresh seasons of their hits. Netflix (NFLX.O), which makes shows around the world, has said it can feed its service with shows produced outside the United States.

☆ Hollywood writers to strike, triggering TV shutdowns amid streaming disruption
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Mike Blake | ReutersHollywood film and television writers will go on strike starting Tuesday, throwing Hollywood into turmoil as the entertainment business grapples with seismic changes triggered by the global streaming TV boom. The last WGA strike, in 2007 and 2008, lasted 100 days. Writers say they have suffered financially during the streaming TV boom, in part due to shorter seasons and smaller residual payments. Half of TV series writers now work at minimum salary levels, compared with one-third in the 2013-14 season, according to Guild statistics. The WGA wants safeguards to prevent studios from using AI to generate new scripts from writers' previous work.

☆ 'Revealing' teen costumes, on-set massages, and a gender-discrimination complaint: Inside Dan Schneider's 'disgusting' Nickelodeon empire
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-30 | by ( Kate Taylor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +27 min

For many Nickelodeon actors, life at the network was surreal, the "Amanda Show" actor Raquel Lee told Insider. Schneider set up a meeting to discuss the situation. On the one hand, the success of Schneider's shows provided rare stability in a chaotic industry. None of Schneider's shows credited more than two female writers in the entirety of their runs; "Zoey 101" and "Drake & Josh" had zero. The writer wrote that Schneider once pressured her into simulating "being sodomized" while she was telling a story about high school, to her embarrassment.

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