'Ellen' fallout: Part 4

And even more "Ellen" fallout.

This is a response to the AFTRA response to the WGAE statement rebuking Ellen's decision to go on with the show:

Mr. Kim Roberts Hedgpath

National Executive Director

AFTRA

5757 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Dear Kim:

I was sorry to learn that you believe that the Guild erred in not consulting AFTRA before releasing our statement concerning Ellen DeGeneres. I assure you that we have great respect for AFTRA, its members and staff, and we are deeply grateful for the generous support of the many AFTRA members supporting our strike by withholding their services and/or joining our picket lines and rallies.

As I indicated in the telephone conversation to which you referred, it is not the Guild's intention to involve any union, such as your own, in our efforts to encourage individuals to withhold their services. What we ask of them are acts of individual conscience. There are unions with much narrower no strike clauses which we have approached directly and have been able to help us. I am sorry that I did not elaborate on this point in our conversation and make sure that I was understood.

Moreover, with regard to Ms. DeGeneres, she is a Writers Guild member as well as an AFTRAn. The writing of her show is always done by Writers Guild members and, therefore, constitutes struck work. Beyond any issue of membership, there is the obvious ethical issue, which is clearly present in Ms. DeGeneres' decision to write and produce a show without writers in the face of an industrywide walkout by 12,000 writers. Such a decision cannot be redeemed by your spirited and eloquent defense. I understand that AFTRA cannot call upon Ms. DeGeneres to respect our strike. But the Writers Guild can and must.

With best personal regards,                                                 Sincerely,

Mona Mangan

Executive Director

More news on the strike

Comments

[jill]

There are a relatively small group of writers, like the well paid ones on series or the handful paid big bucks for screenplays, who would benefit to any significant degree over the 4 cents extra per DVD sale and the other items at issue. The vast majority of struggling writers, especially those over 40 and the ones who write on spec, are just being hurt. Along with the peripheral businesses in the city like caterers, restaurants. Other unions are the biggest supporters here. Yes the production companies come off as petty and cheap, but it should be an individual decision over which writers feel they benefit from the strike. The WGA shouldn't bully people over this, as unions usually do. That bullying is the worst part of union leadership in general.

[MorbidlyAmused]

Well, yes ... I suppose the WGA ought to be grateful for the AFTRA members joining the picket lines. They can hardly *expect* that behavior, and the fact that they can't *expect* it is what makes it so gratitude inducing. This letter seems juvenile, also, but not as juvenile as the original attack. I see WGA's argument, but this is poor handling at best.

[Cornelius Horn]

My god, has the LA Times's coverage of the strike has been absolutely miserable! Covering what happened on Ugly Betty this week is NOT the same thing as covering the writer's strike. Jumping on a minor footnote story about Ellen Degeneres like slobbering dogs is NOT journalism. What an useless newspaper you are.