WGA members overwhelmingly approved a new bargaining agenda focused on health care funding, fair pay and AI protections ahead of talks with studios.
Members of the Writers Guild of America have overwhelmingly approved a new bargaining agenda that will guide upcoming contract negotiations with Hollywood studios.
With 97.4% of members voting in favor, the union is preparing to head into talks focused on health care stability, fair pay and protections around artificial intelligence.
Negotiations between the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the major studios and streaming companies, are scheduled to begin on March 16.
For many writers, the most urgent issue is the guild’s health fund. According to the WGA, the fund has lost $205 million over the past four years, with rising medical costs and a contracting entertainment industry putting pressure on finances.
Union leaders warned members that without changes, the health plan could run out of money within the next three years.
To address that risk, the union’s agenda calls on studios to increase their contributions to both pension and health plans. The WGA is also pushing to raise the compensation caps that determine how much employers pay into those funds.
At the same time, the guild says it may need to consider cost-saving adjustments that still preserve access to quality health care providers for members.
Compensation remains another major focus. As in previous negotiations, the union will seek higher minimum pay rates for writers across film and television.
Two other topics carry over from the intense 2023 Writers Guild of America strike: artificial intelligence and streaming residuals. Writers are expected to push for stronger rules governing how AI tools can be used in the creative process, as well as better compensation structures tied to the growing streaming market.
Interestingly, the guild’s current outline does not emphasize minimum staffing requirements on television shows, a major issue during the last strike. The 2023 contract already established new rules limiting “mini-rooms” and setting minimum numbers of writers once a show receives a green light.
Instead, the new agenda highlights related concerns, including compensation for writers involved in post-production and the ongoing problem of “free work,” where writers are asked to contribute unpaid creative labor during development.
For now, the approved agenda outlines only the broad priorities. Detailed proposals will be presented once negotiations officially begin, and those specifics will likely remain confidential while talks continue.
