This is me back from the Writers Guild Informational Meeting, held this evening at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.
Well, I was wrong. I told friends that I expected some vocal dissent at the meeting. I guess I'm so used to WGA Strikes where there's a small but loud minority that goes against the leadership that I'm expecting it even when there's been so sign of one. As of when I left the meeting, well into the "questions from the floor" section, there still was no sign. The assemblage was solidly behind our officers, negotiating team and chief negotiator — so much so that even those who spoke in criticism prefaced their remarks with statements like "I think you're doing a great job but…"
I'm guessing there were around 2,000 people there. That's a very wild guess but it was definitely a very encouraging, enthusiastic turnout, especially for a drizzly Monday night meeting called without much advance notice. I lost count of the standing ovations given to our Board, negotiators and even to Alan Rosenberg, the President of the Screen Actors Guild, who was a very active participant.
News? There wasn't much. The WGA has voted to deny a waiver to the Golden Globes telecast. That show will have to go on without WGA writers, and Rosenberg suggested that it would probably go on without a lot of actors putting in appearances. He's already hearing that many will not be present and his union is beginning a member "outreach" (the word he used) to encourage more non-participation. The WGA will also not grant a waiver to the Academy Awards if the strike goes long enough for that to be an issue.
There was a question about the WGA possibly making an interim deal with David Letterman's Worldwide Pants company. Our executive director (and chief negotiator) David Young said he would not comment on any specific deal…but based on his non-specific comments, everyone present probably left with the impression that Letterman ain't getting his contract. The WGA is prepared to make such deals but only with players in the industry whose signing will change the dynamic. Granting Letterman the contract he seeks would only enable CBS to get fresh programming for two trouble spots while still fighting the main war against us…or at least, that's the thinking of our leaders and it seemed to be the overwhelming consensus of the hall, as well. I'm not as sure as some are that this is the right way to play this…but a rather compelling argument was made that to allow a company like Letterman's to sign would be, as one speaker tonight put it, "…the Writers Guild playing 'divide and conquer ourselves!'"
(Let me underscore here that no one spoke specifically about the Worldwide Pants situation. But they did speak of how it seemed like bad strategy to make that kind of deal.)
There was some other news about picketing and other protest events, and some folks are putting together something called StrikeTV, which sounds like a WGA version of YouTube…but really, that was the news. The WGA stands ready to negotiate at any time — "…even Christmas Day," someone said. I guess the big news was the great turnout, total lack of dissent and the strong support for our leaders. If someone thinks this Guild is weakening, they're out of their ever-lovin' minds. If anything, the tactics of the AMPTP have just made members mad and reinforced their feeling that we are standing on the highest ground. I feel even better about the strike than I did this morning…and I felt pretty good about it this morning. Still, you may notice that I have changed the graphic to 2008.