WGAW rejects board's goals
Scribes vote 'no' on Guild strategy
In compiling the referendum, WGAW president Daniel Petrie Jr. had asked for a "sweeping mandate from writers that will be heard across our industry."
He didn't get it. Of the 1,742 ballots returned, 921 (52.9%) said no, while 821 (47.1%) were in favor.
The vote came after almost a year of debate over ratification of a new contract and a contentious split between the WGAW and its Eastern counterpart over voting procedures and other sticking points.
Petrie surmised that most members who voted "either felt we were wrong to put the referendum forward or were simply not persuaded by our arguments in favor if it."
Among other matters, members were asked to support the following goals: improving residuals, primarily foreign and basic cable residuals for free-TV product; making meaningful advances in writers' creative rights and professional status; combating the problems of free rewrites and late payments through new enforcement programs that would not require a writer to contact the guild for help; and ensuring that the guild's staff serves as advocates and representatives of writers.
