Hollywood Writers Guild Ratifies New Deal with 99% Member Approval
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has successfully ratified its new three-year contract with major Hollywood studios. An impressive 99% of the guild’s membership voted in favor of the deal, with only a minuscule 90 votes against it. This overwhelming approval demonstrates the solidarity and determination of the guild’s members to secure better terms and protections for writers across all sectors.
Under the new agreement, which is effective from September 25 until May 1, 2026, WGA members can expect pay increases for each of the next three years. The guild also managed to negotiate artificial intelligence restrictions and a revamped residual system for streaming platforms, taking into account viewership numbers. In addition to these achievements, the WGA secured higher contribution rates to health benefits and pensions, as well as a guaranteed minimum number of writers in television writers’ rooms.
Following the ratification, several late-night talk shows, including popular hosts like Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and Stephen Colbert, were among the first productions to resume after the recent writers’ strike. Their return was closely followed by John Oliver, the host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight.
Meanwhile, attention now turns to the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), as they embark on their own negotiations. The actors guild has initiated talks with major studios such as Disney, Paramount, Netflix, Universal, and Warner Bros. Discovery. The solidarity between the WGA and SAG-AFTRA remains strong, with Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, president of the Writers Guild of America East, affirming that WGA members will stand in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA on picket lines until performers’ needs are adequately addressed.
SAG-AFTRA seeks to improve working conditions, wages, and health and pension benefits, while also aiming to establish regulations for the use of artificial intelligence in future film and television productions. Additionally, the union is advocating for greater transparency from streaming services regarding viewership data to ensure fair residual payments comparable to linear TV. Standardizing the self-tape process is another objective being pursued by the guild.
The impact of the WGA’s successful negotiations serves as a significant boost for SAG-AFTRA’s bargaining position, as the two guilds join forces to push for improved terms and conditions for their members. The outcome of these negotiations will shape the future landscape of the entertainment industry, ensuring fairer treatment for those involved and more equitable compensation in the evolving streaming era.
