Writers Guild of America's staff union authorizes strike, weeks before major negotiations

As the Writers Guild of America West prepares to negociate a caller declaration with large studios, its unit national has authorized a onslaught of its own.

The labour group’s unit national (WGSU), which includesattorneys, probe analysts and different positions, claims that “management has dismissed [their] staff’s needs and engaged successful atrocious religion aboveground bargaining with nary intent to scope a just contract.” According to the union’s societal media post, 82% of its members voted to authorize a strike.

The national wrote that 100 members participated successful the vote, “demonstrating our unity and committedness to winning a just contract. If absorption won’t bargain successful bully religion with america astatine the table, we volition spot them connected the picket line.”

With a onslaught authorization vote, a onslaught is not guaranteed, but it gives national leaders the powerfulness to telephone 1 if needed.

WGSU claims it has been negotiating with the national since past September. The pending contract, according to a flier from the union, deals with issues specified arsenic AI protections, wage raises and “basic protections” similar grievance procedures.

WGA has denied these claims, arguing that the national has offered “comprehensive proposals with galore national protections and improvements to compensation and benefits.”

“Public claims suggesting different are inaccurate, and allegations of unfair labour practices are without merit. WGAW respects the staff’s close to prosecute successful corporate activity, and hopes to scope a archetypal declaration statement with the unit national soon,” wrote a national spokesperson successful a statement.

In effect to the onslaught authorization, WGA West besides released a four-page examination of the proposals and counterproposals connected Thursday. The papers shows absorption has offered a minimum yearly wage of $55,000 and the unit national is asking for a minimum of $59,737.

The Writers Guild made headlines successful 2023 for the second-longest onslaught successful the union’s history. At the time, movie and TV writers were boycotting large studios and warring for just compensation. WGA West staffers besides played a cardinal relation successful the strike, arsenic they excessively joined the picketing lines.

A declaration was settled aft a 148-day enactment stoppage, but it’s acceptable to expire connected May 1. The onslaught authorization ballot comes arsenic the WGA’s eastbound and westbound seashore groups get acceptable to erstwhile again beryllium down with large movie studios and streaming companies. Negotiations betwixt the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are expected to statesman March 16.