Good news for Star Trek: Discovery, no writers strike
Finally there’s some good news for the production of Star Trek: Discovery as a late night deal between the Writers Guild of America and the studios avoids a strike.
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It’s been a tough time lately for the production of Star Trek: Discovery. From the controversial departure of showrunner Bryan Fuller to endless delays it seems like nothing’s going right for the newest Star Trek series.
Today finally though Star Trek: Discovery got some good news, there will be no writers strike. According to Deadline Hollywood the Writers Guild of America and the studios reached a late night agreement that avoids a strike.
While this isn’t directly Star Trek: Discovery news, it certianly would have affected the production. Discovery is currently in production and the first season has not been completely written. If a writers strike were to occur it would place an indefinite hold on Discovery.
Shows that have been on the air for sometime would be able to survive a writers strike, even if a new season was delayed. For a show like Star Trek: Discovery however that hasn’t aired and has had so many problems already it might have been fatal. Discovery has already lost a lot of ground with Star Trek fans and it’s possible that this would have been the last straw.
Here’s the statement released by the WGA:
"May 2, 2017Dear Colleagues–Your Negotiating Committee is pleased to report that we have reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP that we can recommend for ratification.In it, we made gains in minimums across the board – as well as contribution increases to our Health Plan that should ensure its solvency for years to come. And we further expanded our protections in Options and Exclusivity.We also made unprecedented gains on the issue of short seasons in television, winning a definition (which has never before existed in our MBA) of 2.4 weeks of work for each episodic fee. Any work beyond that span will now require additional payment for hundreds of writer-producers.We won a 15% increase in Pay TV residuals, roughly $15 million in increases in High-Budget SVOD residuals, and, for the first time ever, residuals for comedy-variety writers in Pay TV.And, also for the first time ever, job protection on Parental Leave.Did we get everything we wanted? No. Everything we deserve? Certainly not. But because we had the near-unanimous backing of you and your fellow writers, we were able to achieve a deal that will net this Guild’s members $130 million more, over the life of the contract, than the pattern we were expected to accept.That result, and that resolve, is a testament to you, your courage, and your faith in us as your representatives.We will, of course, provide more details in the next few days. But until then, we just wanted to thank you – and congratulate you. Your voices were indeed heard.Your 2017 Negotiating CommitteeChip Johannessen, Co-ChairChris Keyser, Co-ChairBilly Ray, Co-ChairAlfredo Barrios, Jr.Amy BergAdam BrooksPatti CarrZoanne ClackMarjorie DavidKate EricksonJonathan FernandezTravon FreeHoward Michael GouldSusannah GrantErich HoeberRichard KeithWarren LeightDamon LindelofGlen MazzaraAlison McDonaldJonathan NolanZak PennLuvh RakheShawn RyanStephen SchiffDavid ShoreMeredith StiehmPatric M. VerroneEric WallaceBeau WillimonNicole YorkinHoward A. Rodman, WGAW President, ex-officioMichael Winship, WGAE President, ex-officioDavid A. Goodman, WGAW Vice President, ex-officioJeremy Pikser, WGAE Vice President, ex-officioAaron Mendelsohn, WGAW Secretary-Treasurer, ex-officioBob Schneider, WGAE Secretary-Treasurer, ex-officio"
Read more at Deadline Hollywood
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