The WGA has scored another victory over the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, peeling off another smaller production company using the divide and conquer strategy. Last time it was David Letterman's Worldwide Pants, this time Tom Cruise's United Artists.

WGA statement after the jump ...

''To Our Fellow Members,

''For our first joint communication of 2008, we are pleased to report very good news. This morning, United Artists signed an independent agreement. This company, now co-owned by Paula Wagner and Tom Cruise, has been legendary for its collaborative and cooperative relationships with writers and the talent community, so it is only fitting that it be the first film studio to make an agreement with us.

''This agreement is virtually identical to the agreement signed by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants (posted here). It features all the proposals we were preparing to make when the big media conglomerates left the bargaining table a month ago. Those proposals include appropriate minimums and residuals for new media (whether streamed or downloaded, as well as original made-for content), along with basic cable and pay-TV increases, feature animation and reality TV coverage, union solidarity language, and important enforcement, auditing, and arbitration considerations.

''We expect this deal to encourage other companies, especially large employers, to seek and reach agreements with us. As those deals are announced, we will report them immediately to you. In the meantime, let us maintain our picket line presence and the pressure that it places on the conglomerates. We look forward to more e-mails like this one in the near future.

''Best,

''Michael Winship
President, WGAE

''Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW''