This just in: AMPTP still miffed at WGA

It’s safe to say by now that no one at the Alliance for Motion Picture and Television Producers has a sense of humor. Today, they issued this edict:

“By now you know that those in charge at the WGA have injected substantial new doses of vitriol into the important and continuing debate on our industry’s future. On Monday, in a letter to members of the WGA East, the president of that organization wrote: ‘They lie. And then they lie again. And then they lie some more.’”

Interjection: AMPTP knows whereof it speaks when discussing “substantial new doses of vitriol.” Late last week, it cut off talks with this scud:

“Quite frankly, we’re puzzled and disheartened by an ongoing WGA negotiating strategy that seems designed to delay or derail talks. … WGA organizers demand … money that doesn’t exist, restrictions that are legally dubious, and control over people who have refused to join their union. … (T)he WGA organizers are on an ideological mission far removed from the interests of their members. Their Quixotic pursuit of radical demands led them to begin this strike, and now has caused this breakdown in negotiations. … (This) strike … is causing so much distress for so many people in our industry and community.”

Back to our regularly scheduled issued statement.

“Then, someone from the WGA offices happily distributed the link to a hijacked parody website that even many rank-and-file WGA members felt was over-the-top. All of this is happening right along with the WGA's continuing series of concerts, rallies, mock exorcisms, pencil-drops and Star Trek-themed gatherings.

“Amidst this alternating mix of personal attacks and picket line frivolity …”

Another interjection: Wow, it sounds like the AMPTP is nostalgic for those serious strikes, like when railroad workers got gunned down by government employees or autoworkers got their heads clubbed in. AMPTP sounds like a bully who’s getting taunted by a smaller, smart-alecky kid but knows he can’t do anything about it because a teacher’s watching.

Back to the statement:

“… we must not forget that this WGA strike is beginning to cause serious economic damage to many people in the entertainment business. While the WGA’s world-class health care benefits remain secure, tens of thousands of below-the-line workers are seeing their health insurance jeopardized by the continuing strike.”

Well, because AMPTP and its members are laying people off, not the writers.

“In addition, our entire Southern California community is beginning to feel the effects of the grinding shutdown of an industry that is the lifeblood of the region's economy.”

Which, last I checked, was the point of a strike: To underscore the necessity of an aggrieved group that feels it is being underappreciated for its contributions to the overall economy.

“We believe that the best way to end this economic harm is for everyone to understand, in detail, the significant issues involved in this dispute. That is why we will continue to explain our position at every opportunity and promptly refute, with facts, the mistaken assertions made by the WGA’s spokespeople. We will also continue to emphasize what we believe: writers should be compensated from the revenues created by new media and we have backed this up with several new proposals in this area.”

Which is to say: The best way to end this economic harm is to obstinately stand pat, ignoring the WGA’s assertions by stating our assertions with an even louder voice. That should clear things up.

“In addition, we believe everyone impacted by this strike should know that negotiations have broken down over the WGA’s jurisdictional demands -- demands which have everything to do with increasing the union organizers’ clout, but very little to do with the real needs of working writers. We also want to make clear our determination to do what is right for this industry by making a fair deal that allows us to compete successfully in a rapidly changing marketplace. We recognize the importance to your employees and shareholders in creating a modern economic system that works for all of us. That is our paramount goal -- a goal we will continue to work for until it is achieved.”

Or, until everyone but the producers are in the poorhouse.

That said, there are a few things the writers should just take off the table immediately. Such as their insistence on oversight of reality TV – what this would do, in effect, would be to kill off reality TV (not an ignoble goal, really), because it would become more expensive and therefore less desirable to produce. But, again: Look at reality TV, writers – do you really want to be associated with that sort of thing?

Anyway, since we’re in a drought, maybe eventually both sides will become too dehydrated to keep p!ssing on one another and this sort of sniping will blessedly come to an end.