With the Hollywood writers’ strike already in its fifth month, negotiations between their union and the key leisure corporations resumed on Wednesday after a month with out talks. And in an indication of how a lot the studios needed to indicate they had been taking issues severely, a number of prime executives joined the formal bargaining session for the primary time.
In attendance had been Ted Sarandos, a co-chairman of Netflix; David Zaslav, the chief govt of Warner Bros. Discovery; Donna Langley, the chief content material officer of Common Footage; and Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief govt, in keeping with three individuals accustomed to the assembly, who spoke on the situation of anonymity due to the diplomatic nature of the negotiations.
Final month, the Alliance of Movement Image and Tv Producers, which bargains on behalf of leisure corporations, sweetened its supply for a brand new three-year contract, publicly disclosing the main points. The selection to make the supply public solely rankled the Writers Guild of America, which represents greater than 11,000 tv and movie writers, and was one of many causes for the most recent deadlock. High executives like Mr. Zaslav and Mr. Iger met with union officers final month, however not in a proper bargaining session.
The writers initially refused to answer the studios’ newest supply however then reached out to the alliance final week to request a brand new assembly.
At 142 days, the strike is on its method to turning into the longest writers’ walkout ever. (The longest was 153 days in 1988.) The union is arguing that the streaming period has worsened its members’ pay and dealing situations.
Studios have mentioned they’re providing the very best wage enhance to writers in additional than three many years, whereas additionally together with protections towards synthetic intelligence.
The harm that the writers’ strike — together with one by Hollywood actors, which started on July 14 — has carried out to the trade and its surrounding companies has been vital.
Gov. Gavin Newsom mentioned in an interview on CNN final week that he believed the twin strikes had already value California’s financial system north of $5 billion.
Brooks Barnes and John Koblin contributed reporting.
