Warner Bros. may cut 1,000 jobs as a result of the Hollywood writers strike

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN0954777620080109

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Up to 1,000 employees on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank could be laid off anytime after Friday as a result of the Hollywood writers strike.

The studio distributed legally mandated warning notices on November 12, five days after the Writers Guild of America walkout began, stating that recipients could be subject to layoff after 60 days. The notices represent the first concrete sign that the strike could trigger massive job cuts across Hollywood.

A Warner Bros. spokeswoman declined to say when or how many pink slips might eventually fly. She said the notices were mandated under the U.S. Department of Labor's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications (WARN) regulations, which are designed to give employees some advance notice of possible job eliminations in the event of a strike.

"These WARN notices were sent because, in certain circumstances, federal and California law can require employers to give notice of staffing changes," Warners spokeswoman Stacey Hoppe said. "Due to the ongoing WGA work stoppage, some studio divisions will have to lay off employees. We regret the impact this will have on our employees, and we hope to bring them back to work once the WGA strike ends."

Those receiving WARN notices are employees of Warner Bros. Studios Facilities, primarily production workers and others involved in lot maintenance and facility management.

News of the development circulated Tuesday, the 65th day of the writers strike. It wasn't immediately clear if any other major studios have issued similar notifications.

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