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EXCLUSIVE: After eight months of bargaining with nonfiction production company Story Syndicate, the Writers Guild of America East and Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700) are putting pressure on the Harry & Meghan producers to finalize a fair deal.
Deadline has learned that unions delivered a joint petition to founders Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan on Thursday signed by more than 250 members, calling on the company to “be the industry leaders they are and set a precedent others can follow to create a truly inclusive and transparent work environment.”
“Long delays, proposals that are out of line with industry standards, and refusals to respond to important proposals would not reflect well on the company’s stated principles,” the petition reads. Read the full petition below.
Signatories of the petition include Lilly Wachowski, John Walsh, Tom Fontana, and Josh Gondelman.
In a statement, WGAE President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen says that Story Syndicate workers “have grown increasingly frustrated by their anti-union positions at the bargaining table.”
“We call on Story Syndicate to live up to its values and settle a collective bargaining agreement that is in line with other industry contracts,” she said.
According to Cullen, the union has thus far been unable to find common ground with the company on wages, healthcare, vacation time, or job security. Story Syndicate has also “completely rejected” proposals regarding protections against artificial intelligence, she says.
Story Syndicate was co-founded by Emmy-winning filmmaker and two-time Oscar nominee Garbus and Oscar-winning producer Cogan in 2019. The production company is known for docuseries including Nuclear Family (HBO), I’ll Be Gone In The Dark (HBO), and The Innocence Files (Netflix) as well as documentary features like Fauci (Nat Geo), Becoming Costeau (Nat Geo), Mayor Pete (Amazon), Britney vs. Spears (Netflix), and All In: The Fight For Democracy (Amazon).
Here is the petition in full:
As film industry professionals representing a wide variety of genres, we stand by the Story Syndicate workers represented by Writers Guild of America East and the Motion Picture Editors Guild IATSE Local 700 during their ongoing contract negotiations.
Since its inception, Story Syndicate has been at the pinnacle of documentary filmmaking within the industry and an organization we have long respected for the perspective they bring to cinematic storytelling. You both are held in high esteem for your vision and craft.
More than a year ago, Story Syndicate recognized the union and it is long past due for them to agree to a fair contract. That’s why we are urging you to settle a fair contract with your workers who are represented by MPEG and WGAE in an expeditious manner. Long delays, proposals that are out of line with industry standards, and refusals to respond to important proposals would not reflect well on the company’s stated principles. Your workers deserve fair wages, adequate healthcare, and paid time off.
We stand united in support of the union’s proposals and their call for a fair contract. Many of us know the mental, physical, and financial sacrifices that come with building a sustainable career in this industry, but we are only as strong as the teams we work with who are seeking the same benefits available in every other industry. We are calling on Story Syndicate to be the industry leaders they are and set a precedent others can follow to create a truly inclusive and transparent work environment.
With this contract, we believe that Story Syndicate can continue to produce meaningful content about human beings and extend that same regard to its own employees.
