Striking Writers, Studios Head for Renewed Talks

[Omaha Steve]

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=4173998



By Steve Gorman
Jan 22, 2008

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Striking Hollywood writers will meet face to face with studio executives this week for the first time since their contract talks collapsed on December 7, the two sides said on Tuesday.

The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will open "informal discussions" on Wednesday to "determine if there is a basis for both parties to return to formal negotiations," the union and studios said in a joint statement.

In a separate open letter to their members, WGA leaders added that in the interest of "bringing a speedy conclusion to negotiations" they were abandoning two union proposals vigorously opposed by the studios.

Both sides said they would adhere to a media blackout until those talks are concluded. Industry sources familiar with the matter said earlier that the latest discussions were aimed at reaching agreement on the broad outlines of a possible settlement of the strike, now in its 12th week.

News Corp. President Peter Chernin and Walt Disney Co. President Robert Iger were expected to take the lead in those talks for management, as they did in unofficial discussions that paved the way for last week's contract deal between the studios and the Directors Guild of America.

The DGA deal announced after two weeks of informal talks and six days of full-fledged bargaining included provisions to pay union members more for work distributed over the Internet -- a key sticking point in stalled talks with the writers.

FULL 2 page story at link.

[aquart]

1. Getting nervous about the Oscars, are they?

[annabanana]

2. I have read that the Writers are going to take their attempts

to represent the writers of "reality shows" and animated shows off the table to facilitate a return to talks..
1) Is this the case?
2) If it is... There's nothing that would PREVENT those writers from joining of their own volition, is there?