The war between the Writers Guild of America and Hollywood agents has escalated as the two sides battle over the rules on how writers are represented.
The latest volley emerged Friday from Karen Stuart, president of the Association of Talent Agents, who accused WGA leaders of misleading its members and asserted that the guild leaders are attempting a power grab that would imperil the agencies.
“Essentially, the guild is dead-set on instructing their members to vote to walk away from their ATA agencies and agents if the agencies don’t comply with the guild’s unilateral mandates,” she said in a message to ATA members. “As frustrating as it is that the guild leadership refuses to have an honest dialogue with us, it is even more concerning that they are insisting on policies — and misleading their members into voting for mandates — that don’t reflect the current landscape or what you do day in and day out.”
Leaders of the WGA announced Thursday that they had sent Hollywood talent agencies a proposed Code of Conduct with tough new restrictions on how they operate as agents for writer clients. The guild will hold a March 25 vote on the new rules — which would effectively end all packaging deals, in which agencies receive both upfront and backend fees, and bar agencies from any financial interest in any entity or individual “engaged in the production or distribution of motion pictures.”
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The WGA has made it clear that it wants its 12,000 members to cut ties with their agents if the agents do not sign on to the new Code of Conduct. The current 42-year-old agreement will expire on April 6. The WGA and the ATA held negotiations on Feb. 5 and 19 and have not yet set another session.
“The WGA’s proposed code of conduct would not only have negative unintended consequences for writers, but it would also be terrible for ATA member agencies because it would drop ATA, your collective representative out of the agreement, and give the Guild unilateral authority over the agencies’ relationships with their clients and set a precedent that allows guilds and unions to impose unilateral restrictions on all aspects of our business,” Stuart said.
Read Stuart’s entire message below.
As you may know (or have already received), the WGA is sending emails directly to agents in their quest to gather support for their attempt to divide our membership. As with much of their rhetoric to date, the WGA email contains a number of misstatements. As you have likely heard, on February 13, WGA’s leadership team informed members that they will hold a vote on March 25 on whether or not to implement a “Code of Conduct” that agencies have to follow in order to work with guild writers. This announcement took place just one week after our first meeting with the guild to discuss a new franchise agreement and just a few days before our second meeting, showing a true lack of sincerity to negotiate in good faith.
Essentially, the guild is dead-set on instructing their members to vote to walk away from their ATA agencies and agents if the agencies don’t comply with the guild’s unilateral mandates. As frustrating as it is that the guild leadership refuses to have an honest dialogue with us, it is even more concerning that they are insisting on policies — and misleading their members into voting for mandates — that don’t reflect the current landscape or what you do day in and day out. The WGA’s proposed code of conduct would not only have negative unintended consequences for writers, but it would also be terrible for ATA member agencies because it would drop ATA, your collective representative out of the agreement, and give the Guild unilateral authority over the agencies’ relationships with their clients and set a precedent that allows guilds and unions to impose unilateral restrictions on all aspects of our business.
ATA’s collective voice is strong and we must continue to work towards a new franchise agreement that reflects what is best for artists and the industry in the new media ecosystem. ATA will continue to fight for the best interests of ALL of our members and all artists who we represent – to do so, we must not get sidetracked by the WGA leadership’s tactics. ATA will not agree to anything that would indefinitely hold agencies captive and instead will keep our eye on the ball, which is a new franchise agreement that provides clarity, certainty and forward-looking operating procedures for our longstanding relationship with WGA and most importantly, that enhances – not diminishes – agents ability to advocate for writers and ensure their careers can flourish. Let your voice be heard by voicing your unwavering support to stand united with your trade association and peers. We will be calling on you for your support. You will receive a member meeting notice in the upcoming days. Visit the ATA website for up to date information.