The Directors Guild of America has decided to postpone contract negotiations with Hollywood studios until later this spring.
This decision comes as a surprise to many, as the Directors Guild typically begins negotiations with the studios earlier than other unions. The DGA’s decision is likely due to the wide rift that exists between studios and Hollywood workers on key issues such as wages and streaming residuals. This rift has become so wide that some believe it could lead to the entertainment industry’s first major strike since 2007.
The DGA’s decision to wait to negotiate until closer to the contract expiration date on June 30th may give the Writers Guild of America the opportunity to set the tone for this year’s negotiations, as their contract expires in May.
The DGA has spent the past 18 months preparing for negotiations by conducting research and consulting with industry experts. In their statement to their 19,000 members, the union said that the studios were not yet willing to address their concerns.
The DGA said that timing of the talks isn’t the most important issue, but rather whether the studios will address the areas of concern to their members. The union believes that they have made some of their biggest gains during negotiations by waiting until contract expiry was near. The DGA has only gone on strike once in its 87-year history, in 1987.
It remains to be seen how the DGA’s decision to postpone negotiations will affect the outcome of this year’s contract negotiations. However, it is clear that the union is taking a firm stance on the issues that are important to their members, and is willing to wait until they are addressed before negotiating.