All posts tagged: Guild

Writers Guild Negotiators Explain 2026 Contract Deal

Writers Guild Negotiators Explain 2026 Contract Deal

Published by Daniella Wilson

In 2023, the Writers Guild of America appeared to take no prisoners in its contract negotiations. The union’s leaders called a strike authorization vote less than a month in, negotiated down to the wire, then launched a strike that lasted nearly five months and only ended once some of the industry’s top CEOs got involved. So it was understandable when, this year, heads spun as that same union handled its latest contract negotiations very differently. After just three weeks of talks, the WGA cut a surprise deal with the studios that was distinct in its concession to a key studio demand, for a longer deal (four years instead of the typical three) to assure a sustained period of labor peace. So what happened? It was clear the WGA’s health plan was in dire straits, which affected the union’s leverage, but had the typically aggressive union undergone a complete personality replacement? Not so, some of its top negotiators said in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Yes, the WGA needed to take dramatic steps to …

Producers Guild Sets PGA Awards Dates for 2027 and 2028

Producers Guild Sets PGA Awards Dates for 2027 and 2028

Published by Daniella Wilson

We’re not even halfway through 2026, but on Tuesday afternoon, three major Hollywood organizations revealed the dates of their 2027 and 2028 awards ceremonies. First up was the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Oscars, around which the rest of the awards-industrial complex revolves. Then came SAG-AFTRA and the Actor Awards. And now, the Producers Guild of America has announced that its PGA Awards ceremony, which was held in 2026 on Saturday, Feb. 28, will take place on Saturday, Feb. 27, in 2027 and on Saturday, Feb. 19, in 2028. Notably, the 2027 PGA Awards ceremony will take place during the final round of Oscars voting (which will run Feb. 25-March 4), increasing the possibility that the selection of the guild’s members could influence the selection of the Academy’s members. (The guild is also the only major awards body other than the Academy to choose its winners via a preferential ballot.) The Producers Guild also announced a number of other key dates pertaining to the 2025-2026 awards season: Eligibility Period for 2027 …

Writers Guild forges tentative contract deal with studios

Writers Guild forges tentative contract deal with studios

Published by Sam Flores

The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have reportedly reached a tentative four-year deal for a new contract. Negotiations between the union and film and TV studios began in March, with union leaders prioritizing more robust healthcare benefits, streaming residuals and protections against the misuse of AI tools. Puck co-founder and reporter Matt Belloni first reported news of the tentative deal Saturday. The agreement represents a departure from standard practice, adding one more year to the WGA’s usual three-year contract. Additionally, it includes health plan and pension increases, bumps in streaming pay and protections that will police licensing for AI training. “Crucially, it protects our health plan and puts it on a sustainable path, with increased company contributions across many areas and long-needed increases to health contribution caps,” said WGA’s negotiating committee in a statement. “The new contract also builds on gains from 2023 and helps address free work challenges.” The new contract is still subject to ratification following a vote by union members. The WGA and AMPTP …

Writers Guild Reaches Tentative Four-Year Deal With Studios

Writers Guild Reaches Tentative Four-Year Deal With Studios

Published by Daniella Wilson

The Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative four-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers group representing studios and streamers, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. On Saturday, Puck reporter Matt Belloni reported on the agreement, saying it adds one more year to the WGA’s usual three-year deal and that it includes “Health plan/pension increases, SVOD bumps [and] protection to police licensing for AI training.” THR understands from a source close to the discussions that those details are accurate.  A tentative deal still is subject to a ratification vote by members. Before talks began, the guild outlined its negotiation priorities for a new contract, including bolstering the union’s health plan, increasing AI protections and improving compensation. As THR has previously reported, the WGA’s health fund cumulatively lost $122 million in 2023 and 2024, according to tax returns, as a decline in Hollywood work and general health care inflation took their tolls. The union also sought to secure more protections against AI. Though the protections the WGA enshrined in its contract in …

Writers Guild West Staffers to Lose Health Coverage Amid Strike

Writers Guild West Staffers to Lose Health Coverage Amid Strike

Published by Daniella Wilson

Seven weeks into their strike, unionized staffers at the Writers Guild of America West will lose their health care benefits on Wednesday. WGA West staffers can be covered by the Producer-Writers Guild of America (PWGA) Health Plan, the same plan that is offered to the Hollywood union’s members. Staffers accrue coverage on a month-to-month basis as long as they work 31 hours per week the previous month. Staffers unionized with the Writers Guild Staff Union (WGSU), who have been out on strike since Feb. 17, say they learned on Tuesday that they will lose eligibility starting Wednesday. Missy Brown, the co-chair of the WGSU, said in an interview that union members didn’t learn until Tuesday afternoon about the loss of coverage, and that was only after she found a PWGA Health Plan staffer who would speak with her. “I just find this very crazy that we weren’t notified of this,” she says. Brown said that she left repeated voicemails with multiple staffers at the PWGA Health Plan offices over the last few days to determine …

Digital Creator Credits Platform Launched by Creators Guild of America

Digital Creator Credits Platform Launched by Creators Guild of America

Published by Daniella Wilson

When a digital creator wants to showcase their body of work to potential collaborators or clients, they can post some previous work to their Instagram or LinkedIn, maybe dig out a few old contracts from a drawer. But with the scale and diversity of output that successful creators produce, from quick sketches to full-scale brand campaigns, it’s an unwieldy and imperfect approach. A new initiative from the Creators Guild of America is aiming to solve that issue. On Tuesday, the industry nonprofit (led by former Producers Guild of America arbitrations administrator Daniel Abas) launched an open beta version of Mosaic, a “first of its kind” credentialing platform tailored to the vast workflows endemic to creators and their behind-the-scenes creatives. Branded as the “IMDb for creators,” Mosaic offers creator economy workers a digital resumé to help them showcase their work history to collaborators, brands and audiences. A few thousand beta testers have already signed on to Mosaic prior to Tuesday’s launch. “Without a infrastructure for credit, it’s difficult to know and provide recognition for what creators …

Writers Guild 2026 Negotiators Interview: Studios Can Pay Up

Writers Guild 2026 Negotiators Interview: Studios Can Pay Up

Published by Daniella Wilson

The Writers Guild of America may be facing a contracting business, a staff strike on its doorstep and a funding crisis for its health plan, but on Tuesday, union leaders made clear they are uncowed heading into this year’s contract negotiations with Hollywood’s top companies. “Whatever cycle we’re in, writers, we know our value, we know the contributions we make to the industry, and we are not, as I think you know, a union that gives away our power,” union president Michele Mulroney told The Hollywood Reporter. Mulroney sat for an interview alongside chief negotiator Ellen Stutzman and co-chairs of the WGA negotiating committee, John August and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel. The group spoke ahead of negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that are set to begin Monday, not long before the contract’s May 1 expiration date. This year, negotiators are laser-focused on shoring up the union’s health plan, which is in the red and facing a complete depletion of reserves if conditions don’t change soon. Mulroney made clear that securing this benefit …

2026 Writers Guild Awards Winners List

2026 Writers Guild Awards Winners List

Published by Daniella Wilson

The 2026 Writers Guild Awards are taking place Sunday in New York. One Battle After Another took home the award for best adapted screenplay. Paul Thomas Anderson was not present to accept the prize, so Shayna McHayle, one of his castmembers, accepted on his behalf with a prepared statement from the writer-director. In the TV categories, The Pitt won for best new series and best episodic drama. The Righteous Gemstones won for best episodic comedy. While the Writers Guild traditionally holds simultaneous ceremonies in New York and L.A., this year the East Coast event is taking place after the West Coast ceremony was canceled amid an ongoing strike by the Writers Guild of America West’s own staff. The WGA West staff union has been on strike since Feb. 17, alleging that management committed unfair labor practices amid first contract negotiations. The guild canceled the Los Angeles ceremony last week, with WGAW president Michele Mulroney writing in part, in a letter to presenters and participants, “An alternative celebration for this year’s Los Angeles-based nominees will be …

Writers Guild Reaches Tentative Four-Year Deal With Studios

Writers Guild Negotiations Priorities Approved by Members

Published by Daniella Wilson

Members of the Writers Guild of America have approved a slate of contract priorities in upcoming labor negotiations with studios and streamers that includes shoring up the union’s health plan, expanding AI protections and improving compensation. More than 97 percent of participating union members voted to approve the bargaining slate ahead of negotiations starting with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on March 16, the union said on Friday. The pattern of demands released on Friday depicts a labor group that is focused on increasing contributions to its benefits plans and increasing the maximum amount that employers can pay into the plans. As The Hollywood Reporter has previously reported, the WGA’s health fund cumulatively lost $122 million in 2023 and 2024, according to tax returns, as a decline in Hollywood work and general health care inflation took its toll. Though the pattern of demands was light on details — the union is still keeping its specific proposals close to the vest for now — AI will be another point of discussion. Though the …

Writers Guild Reaches Tentative Four-Year Deal With Studios

Writers Guild Awards L.A. Ceremony Canceled Amid Internal Labor Strike

Published by Daniella Wilson

The Writers Guild of America West has canceled its annual awards show set to take place on March 8 amid its own staff striking, alleging that management committed unfair labor practices amid first contract negotiations. In a letter sent to presenters and participants of the 2026 awards ceremony, and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, WGAW president Michele Mulroney wrote in part, “I am writing to share the news that the 2026 Writers Guild Awards Los Angeles ceremony will be cancelled. An alternative celebration for this year’s Los Angeles-based nominees will be scheduled at a later date.” “Currently, the non-supervisory staff of the WGAW, represented by the Pacific Northwest Staff Union (PNWSU), is on strike,” Mulroney added. “While I respect the staff’s right to strike, I also believe that you deserve an uncomplicated celebration of your achievements. We would not ask you, your guests, talent, and crew to cross a picket line to attend.” A similar message was also sent to WGAW members. The Writers Guild Staff Union (WGSU), which has been picketing in front of the union’s …