No action: Directors delay labor talks

LOS ANGELES - Hollywood directors said Thursday they will hold off on contract negotiations with studios for now, but want to begin talks after New Year's Day.

The decision could put added pressure on striking Hollywood writers to reach a new contract with studios and end their six-week walkout, which directors say is having a dire effect in Hollywood.

In a statement, the Directors Guild of America said it was deeply disappointed by last week's collapse of talks between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

The writers strike, which began Nov. 5, has shut down production on dozens of TV shows and started to slow the making of movies for release in 2009. Negotiations broke off on Dec. 7 when the alliance refused to bargain further unless the union dropped a half-dozen proposals that included the authority to unionize writers on reality shows and animation projects.

After the guild refused to back off, the alliance claimed guild leaders were trying to increase their power at the expense of members. Union leaders accused the alliance of "lies" aimed at sowing doubt and dissension in union ranks.

Both sides have said the central issue is compensation for programs, movies and other content streamed or downloaded over the Internet. That issue is also expected to dominate the upcoming studio negotiations with directors and actors.

The directors guild represents about 13,500 directors and associated production workers. Its contract with the alliance is set to expire June 30.

Directors delayed starting its contract talks for two months "out of respect for our sister guild," guild President Michael Apted and negotiations chair Gil Cates said in the statement.

"But now the situation is dire. The WGA-AMPTP impasse has cost the jobs of tens of thousands of entertainment industry workers, including many of our own members, and more lose their jobs every day the strike continues," the statement said.

"With so much at stake and no end to the standoff in sight, we can no longer abdicate our responsibility to our own members," the statement said.

A call to the writers guild and an email sent to the alliance seeking comment were not immediately answered.

In a letter to members last week, Apted and Cates said the guild has been studying the issue of digital media for nearly 18 months and is determined to get a fair deal for members in both old and new media.

"There is a reason that few in the industry ever accuse the DGA or its members of being pushovers. We've never been that, and we don't plan to start now," the letter said.

They stressed the dispute was not between the two guilds and that such a fight would only strengthens the studio alliance.

"But sharing a goal is not the same as sharing tactics and strategy," the letter said. "And our differing views of the best way to achieve our goals may lead us to act differently."

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