As a seasoned gamer who’s seen more than a few in-game conflicts unfold, I can’t help but draw parallels between the virtual worlds I inhabit and this real-life labor dispute at PBS. Just like in my favorite MMORPG, it seems that the Writers Guild of America East is gearing up for a potential showdown with management over fair compensation and working conditions.
Writers Guild of America East members working for PBS affiliate stations are considering going on strike if they can’t reach an agreement on their current union contract in a timely manner.
In a vote held on Monday, the unionized employees who took part have collectively expressed their readiness to initiate a work stoppage if negotiations with management fail by the expiration of their current contract. This vote involved 83% of union members from the bargaining unit that consists of 94 staffers at WGBH, THIRTEEN, and PBS SoCal. The current union agreement ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on November 21st.
Earlier, both the Governing Council of the Writers Guild of America East and the Board of the Writers Guild of America West approved the strike authorization vote. The Hollywood Reporter has sought comments from PBS, WGBH, THIRTEEN, and PBS SoCal regarding this matter.
In this round of negotiations, the union’s representatives are striving to expand union benefits to animation scriptwriters, increase salaries for employees, bring streaming-exclusive productions under union control, and establish fair residual payments from streaming platforms.
On Monday, the union declared that writers from twenty animated series, including shows like Molly of Denali, Alma’s Way, and Cyberchase, who are not yet under contract, have agreed not to work during a potential strike if their fellow workers at PBS decide to go on strike.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, president of the Writers Guild at PBS, expressed in a statement on Monday that members prefer to wrap up the week with a just and balanced contract instead of a strike. However, they are prepared to take whatever actions are needed to reach an accord that accurately reflects their working conditions and satisfies their fair expectations.
Toward the end of October, the union started expressing dissatisfaction by submitting a petition to management over their concerns about a lengthy negotiation period and demanding a “fair and balanced” agreement. This petition was signed by over 1,250 union members, among them Seth Meyers, Amber Ruffin, David Simon, and John Oliver.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-11-18 22:57