Los Angeles (USA), May 1 (EFE).- A few hours before it is determined whether the Writers Union will go on strike, thus paralyzing Hollywood productions, the possibility of an agreement between the Union and the Film and Television Producers (AMPTP) seems difficult.
According to reports from US media such as The Wrap, sources close to the negotiation explained that despite some progress having been made during last week’s meetings, the conciliation scenario between the two parties remains “far distant.”
After the latest talks, the union sent an email to its 20,000 members this Sunday so that they were prepared for the possible outbreak of the strike.
The letter also had a survey in which it asked its members the preferred times and places for the demonstrations, and stressed that it is mandatory to participate in them.
“Demonstrations are a key tactic to show that we are all in this together,” sources from the organization told Variety magazine.
Negotiations are expected to continue throughout the day on Monday.
Hollywood is living turbulent weeks after the union and the big studios, represented in the AMPTP, have not reached an agreement to renew the collective contract that has linked them for the last three years, which ends at midnight this Monday .
The writers aspire to sign a package of salary increases valued at almost 600 million dollars, which would include an increase in the minimum wage; the creation of a pension plan; “decent” health insurance; and the review of what is known as “residuals”, individual payments for productions broadcast mainly in “streaming”.
However, the union’s demands clash with the economic situation of companies such as The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. or Netflix, which are trying to reduce costs to deal with their high levels of debt in a market that is clearly saturated.
Among the consequences that a strike would have is the delay in the production and scheduled premieres of series and films, as well as the almost immediate breaks of weekly television programs, with current television projects being the ones that would be most affected.
The last of the scriptwriters lasted around three months between 2007 and 2008. In 2017, the organization was on the verge of paralyzing its activities once again, but before the deadline the union and the AMPTP reached an agreement.
