IATSE prez on talks collapse

Tom Short, president of IATSE, issued this statement, blasting the collapse of the talks:

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 7 – In the wake of the collapse this afternoon of talks between striking Writers Guild of America and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers, IATSE President Thomas C. Short has issued a scathing denunciation of the WGA’s lack of good faith bargaining.

Short, who has been critical of the lack of experience and competence of WGA leadership since late last year, predicted the breakdown of talks, and has repeatedly accused the WGA’s Patric Verrone and David Young of irresponsibility in their pursuit of a new contract with the producers.

Beginning with the cancellation of their own scheduled early negotiations that were to have taken place in January, the WGA has intended, according to Short, that the strike take place and disrupt not only the film and television industries in Los Angeles, but ancillary businesses as well. The halt in production caused by the strike has now spread nationwide and will soon reach beyond the US as several high profile feature films have been cancelled or put on hold until the strike is resolved.

Likening the WGA leadership to “a huge clown car that’s only missing the hats and horns,” Short has been infuriated that among the WGA contract points has been the illegal and unethical poaching of IA members in reality television now covered by IATSE Editors Local 700, and animation writers, members of Local 839, who have been covered by the IA for over 50 years. Said Short, “Even if the AMPTP wanted to give the WGA jurisdiction of animation writers they couldn’t. It’s not theirs to give. Those are IATSE members who have been part of our International for over half a century.”

With over 100 television shows shuttered and numerous features off the schedule, the resulting devastation to members of the IA is growing daily. “I don’t believe the WGA ever intended to bargain in good faith,” said Short. “And they are destroying a lot of lives in the process. As a result of their irresponsible and irrational behavior, the number of IA members who have lost work is fast approaching 40,000 people representing members all over the US and Canada. Unless and until the WGA leadership starts behaving responsibly, which is unlikely, not only wages, health insurance coverage and pension benefits will be lost. Homes and businesses will be lost, too.”

The IATSE is an International Union that represents members employed in the stagecraft, motion picture and television production, and trade shows industries throughout the United States, its Territories, and Canada.

More news on the strike

Comments

[AC]

I think that the WGA has two big problems that they must deal with. One with AMPTP and other with the IATSE. It's true that the inexperience of WGA leadership is going to be a big factor in these negotiations. I feel that come January 2008, the tide will turn against the WGA, which I predict will lead into dramatic changes in leadership. This change of leaders of the WGA will be sudden. They will find that the militant attitude of Varrone and Young will be too much and will choose a leader, either by emergency vote--or by force. I also predict that there will be cracks in the WGA once the new year hits. The IATSE problem is one of the indicators, because of the jobs that will be tremendously impacted. Look for Short and Gates (DGA) to make a move on the two and put them on notice, and its going to be a quick one.

[JimBob]

Hard to see why Mr. Short isn't blaming the media companies for "destroying people's lives." It's a little soon for lives to be destroyed -- everyone in show biz knows you have to stash a little money aside for periods of unemployment. If the writers could have stood up to the companies without any "collateral damage" falling on innocent bystanders, it would have gladly done so. Every union in this industry (including the IA) has struck at one time or another, inconveniencing others, sometimes causing deep distress and economic damage. But when billionaires who can afford to pay their chief executives tens of millions of dollars a year tell a group of major contributors that they can't share in the success of their enterprise, there's going to be serious disagreement. The writers are asking for a pittance, not enough to finance one small action film a year for three years. So maybe it's the media companies and not the writers who should be the target of Mr. Short's anger.