WGA Leaders Endorse Tentative Deal With Producers On New Film & TV Contract

Writers Guild of America leaders have endorsed the union’s tentative deal negotiated this week with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. In an email message this morning (read it below), union leaders said that “both the WGAW Board and WGAE Council voted unanimously to recommend the contract.”

Earlier this week, the WGA and the AMPTP secured a tentative three-year deal that bring labor stability to an industry hobbled by the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. In a marathon bargaining session that stretched into the early hours Wednesday, negotiators secured an agreement to take to the guild’s membership for ratification.

In today’s email, the leadership said that, upon certification by the WGA’s chief negotiator of the final contract language, the guilds will conduct a ratification vote among eligible members later this month.

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“As soon as the confirmed draft is in place,” wrote the WGAW Board of Directors, “the WGA will post the summary of the tentative agreement and ratification vote schedule.”

On Wednesday, sources told Deadline that the new tentative agreement contains “significant movement” and “flexibility” on the exclusive options that tether writers to series regardless of their length. This in particular has been a major thorn in the guild’s paw for the past several years with the rise of streaming platforms and varying episode orders for series.

Here is the WGA leadership’s letter in its entirety, along with its signatories:

July 3, 2020

Dear Members,

As you know, earlier this week the WGA reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new three-year Minimum Basic Agreement. After the Negotiating Committee’s unanimous recommendation of the agreement, last night both the WGAW Board and WGAE Council voted unanimously to recommend the contract. Upon certification by the WGA’s chief negotiator of the final contract language, the Guilds will conduct a ratification vote later this month among eligible members.

As soon as the confirmed draft is in place, the WGA will post the summary of the tentative agreement and ratification vote schedule.

Thank you for your patience.

In solidarity,

WGAW Board of Directors

David A. Goodman, President
Marjorie David, Vice President
Michele Mulroney, Secretary-Treasurer
Liz Alper
Angelina Burnett
Patti Carr
Robb Chavis
Travis Donnelly
Jonathan Fernandez
Ashley Gable
Dante W. Harper
Deric A. Hughes
Zoe Marshall
Luvh Rakhe
David Slack
Meredith Stiehm
Betsy Thomas
Patric M. Verrone
Nicole Yorkin

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