AMPTP Says WGA Talks ‘Have Concluded Without an Agreement’ But Leaves Door Open to ‘Break This Logjam’

variety.com:

AMPTP and the WGA concluded without an agreement today,” the AMPTP said in a statement issued Monday night.” The AMPTP presented a comprehensive package proposal to the Guild last night which included generous increases in compensation for writers as well as improvements in streaming residuals.

The AMPTP also indicated to the WGA that it is prepared to improve that offer, but was unwilling to do so because of the magnitude of other proposals still on the table that the Guild continues to insist upon.

The primary sticking points are “mandatory staffing,” and “duration of employment” — Guild proposals that would require a company to staff a show with a certain number of writers for a specified period of time, whether needed or not. “The AMPTP member companies remain united in their desire to reach a deal that is mutually beneficial to writers and the health and longevity of the industry, and to avoid hardship to the thousands of employees who depend upon the industry for their livelihoods. “The AMPTP is willing to engage in discussions with the WGA in an effort to break this logjam.

The current WGA contract expires at midnight tonight. The AMPTP’s statement points to issues around staffing of TV series as the primary sticking point for the talks.