Grammy producers request WGA interim pact

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- The striking Writers Guild of America West said it has received a request for an interim agreement for the upcoming Grammy Awards show in Los Angeles.

The appeal came from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and the show's producer, John Cossette Productions, Inc.

In a statement posted on its Web site, the WGAW said the request will be referred to its board of directors for a decision.

The WGAW announced earlier in the day it had made an interim agreement that would allow guild writers to script the 39th NAACP Image Awards. The pact also means striking writers won't picket the event.

"The guild examines each request like this individually and no decision is easy. Our ultimate goal is to resolve this strike by achieving a good contract. Because of the historic role the NAACP has played in struggles like ours, we think this decision is appropriate to jointly achieve our goals," said WGAW President Patric M. Verrone.

The guild also made an agreement with the producers of the Film Independent Spirit Awards, however, other awards shows were drastically scaled down after the WGAW declined to enter agreements with their producers and pledged to picket the events.