How do negotiations work?
Contract negotiations, which can last from weeks to months, take place between the WGA Negotiating Committee (led by WGAW Executive Director David Young as Chief Negotiator) and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) for the companies. The WGA and the Companies begin with opening proposals for changes in the MBA. Some proposals are rejected outright and some lead to counter-proposals. After much discussion and debate, the Guild and the companies usually hold firm on some proposals, revise others and withdraw yet other proposals. Successful contract negotiations end with a tentative contract agreement: usually containing terms that both sides feel are the best they can achieve under the circumstances. If an agreement can’t be reached, under some circumstances, the Company might make what it calls a “last, best and final offer.” In either case, the Negotiating Committee would present either the tentative agreement or last offer to the Board and Council for act