The Writers Guild of America West staff strike is over after 82 days, following a vote in which 89 percent of participating members approved a tentative contract deal, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Writers Guild Staff Union announced Saturday that 77 members voted to ratify the three-year agreement, while 6 members voted against it. The deal resolves the union's inaugural contract negotiation and ends a work stoppage that stretched nearly three months.
The financial terms are concrete. The contract raises the salary floor for unionized members from $43,000 to $57,000 a year and guarantees minimum rate increases of at least 12 percent over the life of the agreement. WGSU bargaining committee co-chair Missy Brown broke down the overall impact in a statement. "Together, the members of WGSU secured over $500,000 in wage increases across our 115-plus member bargaining unit," Brown said. "By August of 2027, WGSU members will see their salaries improve by a minimum of 12 percent across the board."
Two issues that had become major sticking points during the strike were resolved by the agreement: seniority provisions and a no-strike clause. The contract calls for the WGA West to take years of service into account during layoffs and protects concerted activity through its no-strike clause language.
Additional provisions include a longevity increase for staffers who remain with the union for specific periods, a wage scale similar to the one used by the WGA East, just cause provisions, a grievance procedure, AI protections and language addressing temporary and contract staffers. Following a strike described as getting ugly, the deal also creates a labor-management committee to encourage communication between staff and guild leadership.
WGSU member Alfie Ebojo reflected on what the process meant in a statement released alongside the ratification announcement. "This was a long time coming. I am glad I'm here to see it happen, and I couldn't be prouder to stand alongside my union siblings," Ebojo said. "The relationships that we've built during this process will only make our union stronger for future contracts to come."
The Hollywood Reporter noted it reached out to the WGA West for comment.
