WRITERS GUILD STRIKE: NEWS HIGHLIGHTS, DAY 3

Recent news regarding the Writers Guild of America strike (highlights of an email update sent to guild members by WGA West President Patric M. Verrone):

--Monday's 3,000 person turnout increased on Tuesday to nearly 3,200. Wednesday: over 3,300.

--Tom Johnson, head writer of Talkshow with Spike Feresten, was hit by an overly aggressive driver at Sunset Gower Studios on Monday and sustained minor injuries that required a trip to the emergency room.

--Over 125 showrunners picketed Wednesday at Disney and an ad featuring some 400 screenwriters (including some of the biggest names in the business) will appear in Thursday’s Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. Members have come from as far away as Amsterdam to picket.

--John Edwards sent a statement of support and Rev. Jesse Jackson will be walking the picket lines at Paramount on Thursday. Encouragement, support, and even refreshments continue to be provided on the picket lines from SAG members while ACTRA (the Canadian actors union) has issued a letter of support.

--Talent agencies have also been sending food to the lines and Paradigm picked up the check for lunch for over a hundred showrunners at the Smokehouse in Burbank.

--The WGA is not currently at the bargaining table ... it was nearly four months between the time we put our proposals on the table in July and the first time we had a single counter proposal from the AMPTP on new media issues. ... The last move made on Sunday was our presentation of a comprehensive package. It is up to the companies to respond to that package. When they indicate that they are ready to do so, we will return to the bargaining table as soon as possible.