Culture

Writers' Strike Over?

by Rob Walker | February 7, 2008 at 09:01 pm

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While it hasn't been confirmed yet that the writers' guild have accepted this deal, former Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner told CNBC the strike is over. Eisner isn't exactly a neutral party in this, so we'll continue to post updates when we hear the writers' side.

A deal has been struck between the major media companies and the Writers Guild of America to end the writers' strike, former Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner revealed on CNBC.
"It's over," Eisner said. "They made the deal, they shook hands on the deal. It's going on Saturday to the writers in general."
Eisner,
speaking live on CNBC's "Fast Money," seemed to hesitate initially
about whether it was possible that the writers could still reject the
agreement, but finally suggested the deal's acceptance was inevitable.

United Hollywood has the rules for the guild regarding when and how the strike could end.[q
url="http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2008/02/answering-questions-about-wga.html"]How
long does it take to have a ratification vote?

The Constitution provides for three timelines in Article VII, Section 2b:

20 days' notice to members, 10 days' notice, or 48 hours.

The 48 hour option is reserved for meetings dealing with restraining
orders [i.e. strikes] or the "membership being called to discuss and
take action on related matters." Like, for example, the ratification of
a contract that directly impacts the restraining order.

Does that mean that the 48 hours will start at the Saturday meeting, and we'll have to cast a vote by Monday?

No. Because of the notification requirements in the Constitution
(same section) the 48 hours couldn't begin before Monday at the
earliest. (Or that's how we read it.)[/q][q
url="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-work8feb08,0,4339067.story"]The
major studios and the Writers Guild of America are putting the
finishing touches on a deal that could bring an end to the costly
walkout. Today the two sides are expected to finalize a three-year
contract that guild leaders plan to present to thousands of writers in
Los Angeles and New York on Saturday. The guild board could approve the
contract Sunday and encourage writers to return to work the next day,
according to people close to the negotiations.

"Everyone is motivated to get back to work as quickly as possible,"
said Jonathan Littman, president of Jerry Bruckheimer Television, which
produces "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "Amazing Race," among
other shows, for CBS. "They want to begin producing as many original
episodes as they can."[/q]