WGA Urges Members To Disregard “Misleading” Rumors & Strike Predictions

deadline.com:

The WGA is urging members to disregard rumors about a possible strike as it prepares for upcoming contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers.

The guild put out a similar warning three years ago. And as before, a series of frequently asked questions posted on the websites of the WGA East and WGA West is more of a general overview of the negotiations process than saber-rattling.

The union’s current film and TV contract expires May 1. “Already, misleading and provocative information has appeared in the press and on social media,” the FAQ says. “Months before writers have collectively determined their bargaining agenda, there have been strike predictions in the trades and you may have heard rumors from executives, managers, agents, and fellow writers.

These narratives – so pervasive that they’ve become industry conventional wisdom – seek to portray the WGA leadership as determined to strike regardless of how negotiations transpire.