30-04-2025
Writers Guild Of America West Staff Union Wins Voluntarily Recognition, Moves To Negotiate First Contract
The Writers Guild of America West staff has officially unionized with the Pacific Northwest Staff Union.
Deadline understands the Writers Guild Staff Union has been voluntarily recognized by their employer (the WGAW) this week, after counting a 'simple majority' of union authorization cards.
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The WGSU has already collected union authorization from over 81% of WGAW staff by the time that the organization started its counting process, indicating that even more eventually submitted one.
'We have an agreement on our first demand, and we're excited to take this important step towards having a voice in improving our workplace and organizing without fear of retaliation,' WGAW Operations Coordinator II and WGSU leader Doug MacIsaac said in a statement. 'We're happy to be able to advocate for ourselves and look forward to negotiating our first collective bargaining agreement.'
The 110-member bargaining unit spans across the WGAW to include staff from a range of departments that include Agency, Communications, Contracts, Credits, Data Management, Dues, Finance, Foreign Levies, Inclusion & Equity, IT, Legal Services, Mail/Print Services, Member Organizing, Membership, Online Services, Operations, Registration, Residuals, Research & Public Policy, Signatories, and the WGAW Theater.
Added WGAW Contracts Coordinator IV and WGAU member Genevieve Gonsal: 'May 1, 2025, marks 25 years of being an employee of the WGAW and what a journey it has been! I am honored to be a part of the historic formation of the WGSU and excited for all the possibilities ahead. Here's to solidarity, progress, and the next chapter!'
The Pacific Northwest Staff Union specializes in organizing labor movement workers. The organization also represents staffers at the LA County Federation of Labor.
The news of the WGAW staff's recognition comes just over a week after reports of the unionization effort arose.
The WGA West now joins staffers from its sister union the WGA East in being unionized. WGAE workers are represented by the United Steelworkers. These are not only Hollywood-adjacent unions with staffers who are a part of unions themselves.
Workers at SAG-AFTRA, Actors' Equity and multiple IATSE locals are represented by OPEIU Local 537.
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