Writers Picketing PBS Production - Say producer is bypassing union benefits and demanding sharp pay cuts

Members of the Writers Guild of America East working on a PBS children's program started protesting on Monday outside the LTV Studios in Wainscott.

According to a statement released by the guild, the studio's current tenant, Big Big Productions, headed by Mitchell Kriegman, "demanded that writers take a pay cut of about 66 percent and refused to pay benefits" should they sign on for its latest production.

"That a guy is trying to set up [a non-union] shop out here is unacceptable," said Warren Leight, president of the Writers Guild of America East, who stood with a crowd of 20 writers, their family members, and other supporters picketing in front of the entrance to the studios on Monday. Many of the guild writers picketing have worked on a previous production of Mr. Kriegman's, whose hiring of nonunion writers for his current project has infuriated them.

Mr. Kriegman, who is also a member of the guild, denied the specifics of the statement, saying they were "absolutely not true." He added that the guild had approached him on Friday to negotiate, and that he was "surprised that they were even there."

"I just want to get everybody to move forward," said Mr. Kriegman, who was placed on the guild's writers' strike list on July 14. Mr. Kriegman added yesterday that negotiations continued on Tuesday between his lawyer and the guild. "We never, from my point of view, stopped negotiations," he said.

The writers guild spokeswoman, Sindy F.M. Gordon, released a statement yesterday morning saying that the guild "spoke with a representative of Big Big Productions and the company failed to offer any changes to their original proposal."

"If we would have been silly enough to accept [the original offer], it would be damaging to the writers guild," said Andy Yerkes, one of the head writers, on Monday.

Two representatives from the Long Island Federation of Labor were also on the picket line. "We are here to do what we can," said Roger Clayman, the executive director of the organization.

Whether or not the show is considered animation, for which the writing would not be covered by the guild, seems to be at the center of the controversy.

According to a promotional announcement at the PBS Web site, the program, called "It's a Big, Big World," is made in "shadowmation," which it defines as "a unique, patented, animated process that utilizes real time virtual sets and bun raku-style team puppetry, integrating live action animatronic characters and computer animation in real-time, high-definition virtual environments."

Mr. Kriegman said the technology has advanced considerably since the last project he worked on with Mr. Yerkes, "The Book of Pooh" (2001), during which the writers were covered by the guild.

"It's way more advanced," he said of the current production. "It's really hybrid animation."

But Mr. Yerkes said that was irrelevant, since the current project still involves live-action puppetry, which is considered performance and not animation. That would mean the writers should be covered.

Mr. Kriegman said the writers guild saw the updated version of the animation and agreed that it was different, however.

He added that "the writers guild has told us on the record that they don't encourage people to stop others from going to work."

"This could easily be solved in a day, or we could be here all summer," said Mr. Leight.

The show, "It's a Big, Big World," is scheduled to air in January 2006. The union has already delayed the production several times, according to the guild's press release.