DGA National Executive Director Jay Roth and I met yesterday with representatives from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), and concluded that it would be beneficial to enter immediately into early contract negotiations.
As DGA President Jack Shea wrote you one week ago, the AMPTP sent a letter to the DGA in early September indicating a desire to initiate and conclude negotiations with us as soon as possible. On September 29, your National Board voted to authorize the DGA leadership to meet with the studios and networks to explore whether early contract negotiations were desirable. The Board also asked me to chair the DGA Negotiating Committee.
On November 2, a meeting was held between the DGA leadership and many of the industry’s top executives. We agreed that now is not the time to impose further uncertainty and instability on our industry—or on our country. The tragic events of September 11 have only exacerbated our country’s economic downturn. In addition, we are still experiencing the fallout from the disruption of production caused by the writers’ and actors’ protracted negotiations earlier this year. For these reasons, we have decided to begin our negotiations as soon as possible.
We intend to engage in vigorous contract talks to procure a highly advantageous set of agreements for the DGA membership. Our various Committees have prepared reasonable proposals that address the wide-ranging economic and creative rights concerns of DGA members. Our efforts will be focused on achieving an outcome that will protect all members of the directorial team, and at the same time keep our industry moving at full speed. I can assure you that the Negotiating Committees and I will do what is necessary to conclude these talks successfully and expeditiously for all DGA members.
Sincerely,
Gil Cates
