Writers Guild of America West elevated its supply to the 115-member workers union on strike since mid-February, as talks with the AMPTP loom. Nonetheless, per WGAW Govt Director Ellen Stutzman, the workers union rejected the newest supply — which amounted to $800,000 in extra wages for the primary 12 months.
“It’s all the time a union’s proper to determine when to take a deal or how lengthy to strike,” Stutzman stated in a memo to guild members Friday night. “Subsequent week, we’ll flip our full consideration to the Guild’s most essential operate for its membership, negotiating the MBA (Minimal Primary Settlement).”
But, if WGA West and its workers union fails to succeed in an settlement this weekend, it runs the danger of putting workers picketing Monday’s bargaining session. This, in flip, would pressure the WGA Negotiating Committee to cross the picket line to be able to cut price with AMPTP on behalf of the guild.
“Whereas the workers union has threatened to picket WGA members concerned in negotiating the MBA, your 2026 Negotiating Committee, chief negotiator and government workers (who should not within the bargaining unit and never on strike) will perform the important thing obligation to cut price the very best contract doable for writers,” Stutzman added.
In response to Stutzman’s replace, WGSU known as out the manager director, noting that she was not current for the newest bargaining session, which occurred Wednesday.
“Wednesday night, administration agreed to fulfill with us, however as soon as once more with out Ellen,” the WGSU posted on Instagram Friday. “There, the events started making real progress. Nonetheless, the next morning, administration as soon as once more known as the WGSU issuing an ultimatum requiring us to drop core union points reminiscent of seniority and job protections. We’re disheartened that administration continues to maintain us on strike by its bad-faith techniques.”
Earlier than signing off, WGSU issued a press release for Stutzman, saying, “You understand the place to seek out us, @ellestn.”
This replace comes practically two weeks after the WGA West canceled its annual Writers Guild Awards amid the staffers’ strike.
“At present, the non-supervisory workers of the WGAW, represented by the Pacific Northwest Workers Union (PNWSU), is on strike,” WGAW President Michele Mulroney wrote of the celebration, which was set to happen on March 8. “Whereas I respect the workers’s proper to strike, I additionally consider that you just deserve an uncomplicated celebration of your achievements. We might not ask you, your friends expertise, and crew to cross a picket line to attend.”
WGAW staffers unionized in April 2025 with the Pacific Northwest Staffers Union (PNWSU), in search of its first union contract with WGAW by the top of that 12 months. That didn’t occur, nonetheless, as WGSU went on strike on February 17 and accused WGAW of “surface-level bargaining” and unfair labor practices, submitting a proper criticism to the Nationwide Labor Relations Board.
The WGSU stated it was in search of “primary protections,” together with “sturdy protections from synthetic intelligence within the office,” “pay will increase” and “simply trigger and grievance procedures that promote mutual accountability and equity.”
The WGSU noticed dozens of WGA members be a part of them on the picket line on the finish of February, with WGAW captains telling TheWrap that the 2023 writers’ strike helped construct a relationship between union members and the staffers.
“We might not have survived the 2023 strike with out the staffers,” stated Jackie Penn, vice chair of the WGAW Committee for Black Writers. “They have been the primary to indicate up on the picket strains earlier than any writers confirmed up they usually have been the final to go away on the finish of the day.”
