Upcoming Film & TV Contract Talks To Be “One Of Most Difficult” In Years – KristenBellTattoos.com

DGA leaders said today that their upcoming contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers “promise to be a very challenging negotiating environment – ​​one of the most difficult and complex we’ve seen in years.” What is the situation?”

DGA National Executive Director Russell Hollander and DGA Negotiations Chair Jon Avnett said in a message to members that upcoming negotiations will be made more difficult “with studios becoming stronger and faster.” becoming vertically integrated, and with the extraordinary economic difficulties facing our industry. our nation.”

“In this environment,” he told members, “your strength and support will be more important than ever. We are committed to fighting for an entertainment industry that is fair, safe, equitable, sustainable and inclusive.” Be accessible. We all have a stake in issues like wages, arrears, funding for our health and pension plans, etc. And we are committed to ensuring that the work of directors and their teams. And the contributions should be respected.

The guild’s current contract expires on June 30, and while no date has yet been set for the start of negotiations, Hollander and Avnet said the guild has been preparing to negotiate for more than a year and a half. Our members, by listening to their concerns, research the issues, and consult with industry experts to ensure we are in the best position to achieve our goals. Our strategic bargaining process is designed to ensure we reach the strongest agreement possible – a goal we can achieve because of your participation and your voice at the table. Our diverse negotiating committees represent every corner of our membership and are constantly working to ensure that your preferences are reflected in the negotiations.

The WGA’s contract expires on May 1, but in recent bargaining rounds the DGA has come to the negotiating table first, often setting the stage for other groups to follow. However, this may not be the case this year.

In their update posted on the DGA website, DGA leaders said “When it comes to deciding whether to initiate a conversation, we are guided by a simple rule: We will only start negotiations when we believe we have the best advantage.Win the best possible deal for DGA Directors and their teams.

“Some years, that means we’ve had preliminary discussions, but only if the studios agree to address our priorities and we believe we can extract a premium to give them that security. which requires them to plan summer and fall schedules. We have used this strategy in the past with considerable success, such as our health care deals in 2004 and 2010, and our 2014 negotiations when we won the industry’s first outstanding formula for original SVOD projects.Other times, we’ve leveraged more near contract expiration.

“For nearly a century, we’ve leveraged these strategies to make strong, fair deals for our members. In 1939, we won our first contract when Frank Capra called the producers’ bluff,” he said. , knowing that he has every known director strongly backing him. Since then, we have negotiated a succession of contracts to secure fair wages, secure royalties that ensure ensure that our members are adequately compensated for the reuse of their work and establish DGA pension and health plans to protect our members in their retirement.In 2008, we Delivered a game-changing agreement in the midst of a rapidly changing media environment, becoming the first union to establish jurisdiction and royalties for original content created for new media. We also negotiated strong contract language that has allowed us and our fellow groups to successfully challenge mediated studio self-dealing. And every time we negotiate, we They keep improving the benefits.

DGA leaders promised their members that with six months left before the DGA contract expires, “we will continue to talk to you about the bargaining preparations, the issues and what is at stake.” As this process progresses, we want you to be informed so that you can engage and communicate with your guild representatives.

“Our industry is evolving rapidly, but no matter how many changes we face, one principle remains constant: the work we create as directors and members of the director’s team is world-class. I provide entertainment to billions of people. For our industry to thrive, we must be able to create a creative and economic model that allows us to share in the success of what we create together.

“This year’s negotiations are about more than bargaining for a strong contract for the next three years — they’re about setting the course for the future of our industry and ensuring the sustainability of millions of good, union jobs.”