Writers Guild of America ‘Pattern of Demands’ Overwhelmingly Approved By Members

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) got high approval for their “pattern of demands” from members. On 27 February, the guild asked its members to vote in favor of it.

The “pattern of demands” outlines the union’s position in negotiations with studios. It is based on member surveys, conversations with members, and research on the industry. The union’s goals lean towards better wages and deals on residual payments for streaming series, also an increase in the contributions to pension plans and health funds.

A message to the members calling to approve stated:

 “in the context of an expanding media industry that remains highly profitable, despite short-term declines in profitability affecting some companies. The broad goal of our negotiating committee will be to build on the gains achieved in past contracts, and to ensure that writers receive their fair share of the proceeds generated by the content they create.”

The vote to approve the pattern of demands was 5,553-90 or 98.4% – 1.6% combining votes from both WGA West and WGA East. The current contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers ends on May 1^st.

Last week WGA stated in a bulletin:

 “Despite their pattern of catastrophic predictions, the studios have successfully monetized every major modern technological advancement to not only stay afloat but thrive. Along the way, they made vague promises that key players like writers would get their fair share at some point. If history has taught nothing else, it has shown that with each new technological advancement within the industry, the real risk is that writers, and other talent, will not receive equitable compensation for the reuse of their work.”

The complete Pattern of demands can be read here and below:

1. Increased minimum compensation significantly to address the devaluation of writing in all areas of television, new media, and features.
2. Standardized compensation and residual terms for features, whether released theatrically or on streaming.
3. Address the abuses of mini-rooms.
4. Ensure appropriate television series writing compensation throughout entire process of preproduction, production, and post-production.
5. Expand span protections to cover all television writers.
6. Apply MBA minimums to comedy variety programs made for new media.
7. Increased residuals for under-compensated reuse markets.
8. Restrict uncompensated use of excerpts.
9. Increase contributions to pension plan and health fund.
10. For feature contracts in which compensation falls below a specified threshold, require weekly payment of compensation and a minimum of two steps.
11. Strengthen regulation of options and exclusivity in television writer employment contracts.
12. Regulate use of material produced using artificial intelligence or similar technologies.
13. çEnact measures to combat discrimination and harassment and to promote pay equity
14. Revise and expand all arbitrator lists.