'Sit Down' scribes, Sony shake hands

July 16, 2008 The majority of the writers on the Fox animated comedy, including creator Mitch Hurwitz and exec producer/co-showrunner Josh Weinstein, have reached an agreement with producing studio Sony Pictures TV, ending a five-week walkout that put the future of the midseason series in jeopardy. At the heart of the labor dispute was which union -- WGA or IATSE -- should have jurisdiction over the show, with the writers pressing for coverage by the WGA and Sony insisting that it has long-term deal with IATSE. According to a letter sent out by the returning "Sit Down" writers, the show will still be produced under the jurisdiction of IATSE but their contacts will include WGA-comparable terms in such key areas as residuals, new-media script fees and merchandising rights that will apply to all future writers on the show.

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