Western Writers Guild employees strike officially: Union ratifies first contract agreement

The Writers Guild of America West strike has officially come to an end.

The Writers Guild Employees Union (WGSU) announced Saturday that 89 percent of participating members voted to greenlight a tentative initial contract deal, which ends the union’s 82-day work stoppage. 77 union members voted in favor of ratifying the three-year agreement, while 6 members voted not to ratify.

“Together, WGSU members received more than $500,000 in pay increases across our 115-plus member bargaining unit,” Missy Brown, co-chair of the WGSU bargaining committee, said in a statement. “By August of 2027, WGSU members will see their salaries improve by at least 12 percent across the board.”

Hollywood Reporter I have reached out to WGA West for comment.

The union’s opening agreement, announced Friday, resolves two issues that have become major sticking points during the employee strike: seniority provisions and the no-strike clause. According to WGSU, the contract calls for WGA West to take years of service into account during layoffs and “protect concerted activity” through a no-strike clause.

The deal also provides minimum rate increases of at least 12 percent over the course of the contract, raises the minimum salaries for union members from $43,000 to $57,000 annually, provides “increased longevity” for employees who stay with the union for specified periods of time and establishes a pay scale similar to that to which WGA East is committed, according to WGSU. The contract also includes provisions regarding just cause, grievance procedures, AI protections, and language surrounding temporary and contract employees.

After nearly three months of a strike that turned ugly, the deal also created a labor-management committee charged with creating “healthy worksite communication between employees and union leadership.”

“This has been a long time coming. I’m glad I’m here to see it happen, and I couldn’t be prouder to stand alongside my brothers in the union,” WGSU member Alfie Ebogo said in a statement. “The relationships we have built during this process will only make our union stronger for the future decades to come.”

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