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Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Accused strike violator was subject to a 'flawed' and 'improper' discipline process, WGA trial chair says
A chair of a trial committee of the Writers Guild of America West has called out the union's handling of disciplinary proceedings against one member accused of flouting the union's rules during the 2023 strike. In a four-page letter , Jill Goldsmith, a former public defender from Cook County, conveyed profound concerns over the process behind the board's decision to expel one writer, saying it was not 'fair and proper,' according to a copy of the letter reviewed by The Times. "I agreed to serve my Guild as a Trial Committee member, when I was assured of fairness in the process,' Goldsmith wrote, adding that 'If we are to impose the most extreme punishment of expulsion, the process cannot be the flawed one that occurred.' In her Feb. 24 letter to the WGAW board, Goldsmith said that the board had repudiated the unanimous findings of the trial committee, and questioned whether the committee's impartial legal counsel unfairly influenced the proceeding's outcome. As such, she wrote that she 'must respectfully withdraw, because "I believe something happened during the process that was improper.' Read more: Writers' strike: What happened, how it ended and its impact on Hollywood Goldsmith's name was redacted from a copy of the letter viewed by the Times. However, a person with knowledge of the proceedings who was not authorized to comment publicly confirmed that it was written by the trial committee chair who was identified in documents as Goldsmith, a guild member and who is credited with having written for such shows as 'Boston Legal' and 'Ally McBeal.' Goldsmith declined to comment on the letter. The Writers Guild of America West also declined to comment on the specific claims of the letter, but in a statement the union said that four members have appealed their discipline to the membership, who will vote on the matter this week. "This is an internal union matter and WGAW members can view relevant documents on the members-only section of the Guild's website," the statement said. "The Board of Directors is the only body involved in the process that is elected by the membership and the WGAW Constitution gives it the responsibility for determining the level of discipline when a member is found guilty by a trial committee." Goldsmith oversaw the trial of Roma Roth, an executive producer on the CW series 'Sullivan's Crossing' and 'Virgin River' on Netflix, according to proceeding documents. The board expelled Roth for allegedly writing during the strike for a non-signatory company. In her letter to the board, Goldsmith said that while she agreed that Roth had 'crossed the line from producing to writing,' a violation of the guild's strike rules, she objected to the process that led to the recommendation for her expulsion, after the committee had originally proposed Roth be given a five year suspension. Read more: WGA bans writers from joining Martin Scorsese, Randall Emmett film project According to her letter, prior to their deliberations, the committee asked the committee's legal advisor for "clarity" on the the possible punishments that could be meted out. Specifically, the committee asked to be provided with a slate of those punishments given to writers in the past — anonymously — in order to 'assess proportionality and fairness in how punishments were addressed,' only to be told the committee was 'not allowed to know that information,' she wrote. According to her appeal statement to the WGAW, a copy of which was viewed by The Times, Roth said she was found was "not guilty" of violating strike rules and "did not work for a struck company," adding that 'Sullivan's Crossing' was an independently financed Canadian series. She called her expulsion 'excessive and disproportionate.' 'The Board found me guilty of violating Article X of the Constitution, Working Rule 8 ('WR8'), i.e. working without a waiver. A violation that according to the Working Rules should be subject to a fine, NOT expulsion,' wrote Roth, a member of the WGA and the Writers Guild of Canada. In her appeal documents, Roth called her disciplinary hearing 'unfair' and 'improper,' and outlined numerous instances that she says demonstrate violations of due process. Roth cast doubt on the materials the guild submitted, including a partially obscured photo of the writer's room that was provided as 'evidence' that she was violating the rules about working during a strike. She said the room included her identical twin sister who was one of several Writers Guild Canada writers enlisted to work on the show. Goldsmith's letter echoed some of the assertions made by other disciplined writers, whose punishments range from public censure to suspensions to prohibitions from acting as volunteer captains; with the most drastic being expulsion. They have appealed the decisions. Julie Bush, a consulting producer on AppleTV+'s 'Manhunt,' is among those seeking to overturn her disciplinary action. The board suspended Bush from the guild until 2026 and she was barred from holding 'non-elected guild office' after being found guilty of violating Working Rule 8 and writing for a non-signatory company during the strike. The trial committee had recommended that she be prohibited from serving as a guild captain for three years and censured privately. Bush, who said she is a staunch union supporter, called the proceedings a 'kangaroo court,' particularly as the information she said that was used against her was based on information she provided a guild attorney while seeking assistance. 'If this were a real court, it would be like if your defense lawyer takes off their defense lawyer hat and puts on his prosecutor hat and says 'surprise, we got you' with all this confidential information that you just turned over,' Bush told The Times. 'My particular case is a nuanced matter of contract law," she added. "It should never have been brought to trial, much less, this big humiliation in the press. I cannot believe that we've gotten to this point.' Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
06-05-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Accused strike violator was subject to a 'flawed' and 'improper' discipline process, WGA trial chair says
A chair of a trial committee of the Writers Guild of America West has called out the union's handling of disciplinary proceedings against one member accused of flouting the union's rules during the 2023 strike. In a four-page letter , Jill Goldsmith, a former public defender from Cook County, conveyed profound concerns over the process behind the board's decision to expel one writer, saying it was not 'fair and proper,' according to a copy of the letter reviewed by The Times. 'I agreed to serve my Guild as a Trial Committee member, when I was assured of fairness in the process,' Goldsmith wrote, adding that 'If we are to impose the most extreme punishment of expulsion, the process cannot be the flawed one that occurred.' In her Feb. 24 letter to the WGAW board, Goldsmith said that the board had repudiated the unanimous findings of the trial committee, and questioned whether the committee's impartial legal counsel unfairly influenced the proceeding's outcome. As such, she wrote that she 'must respectfully withdraw, because 'I believe something happened during the process that was improper.' Goldsmith's name was redacted from a copy of the letter viewed by the Times. However, a person with knowledge of the proceedings who was not authorized to comment publicly confirmed that it was written by the trial committee chair who was identified in documents as Goldsmith, a guild member and who is credited with having written for such shows as 'Boston Legal' and 'Ally McBeal.' Goldsmith declined to comment on the letter. The Writers Guild of America West also declined to comment on the specific claims of the letter, but in a statement the union said that four members have appealed their discipline to the membership, who will vote on the matter this week. 'This is an internal union matter and WGAW members can view relevant documents on the members-only section of the Guild's website,' the statement said. 'The Board of Directors is the only body involved in the process that is elected by the membership and the WGAW Constitution gives it the responsibility for determining the level of discipline when a member is found guilty by a trial committee.' Goldsmith oversaw the trial of Roma Roth, an executive producer on the CW series 'Sullivan's Crossing' and 'Virgin River' on Netflix, according to proceeding documents. The board expelled Roth for allegedly writing during the strike for a non-signatory company. In her letter to the board, Goldsmith said that while she agreed that Roth had 'crossed the line from producing to writing,' a violation of the guild's strike rules, she objected to the process that led to the recommendation for her expulsion, after the committee had originally proposed Roth be given a five year suspension. According to her letter, prior to their deliberations, the committee asked the committee's legal advisor for 'clarity' on the the possible punishments that could be meted out. Specifically, the committee asked to be provided with a slate of those punishments given to writers in the past — anonymously — in order to 'assess proportionality and fairness in how punishments were addressed,' only to be told the committee was 'not allowed to know that information,' she wrote. According to her appeal statement to the WGAW, a copy of which was viewed by The Times, Roth said she was found was 'not guilty' of violating strike rules and 'did not work for a struck company,' adding that 'Sullivan's Crossing' was an independently financed Canadian series. She called her expulsion 'excessive and disproportionate.' 'The Board found me guilty of violating Article X of the Constitution, Working Rule 8 ('WR8'), i.e. working without a waiver. A violation that according to the Working Rules should be subject to a fine, NOT expulsion,' wrote Roth, a member of the WGA and the Writers Guild of Canada. In her appeal documents, Roth called her disciplinary hearing 'unfair' and 'improper,' and outlined numerous instances that she says demonstrate violations of due process. Roth cast doubt on the materials the guild submitted, including a partially obscured photo of the writer's room that was provided as 'evidence' that she was violating the rules about working during a strike. She said the room included her identical twin sister who was one of several Writers Guild Canada writers enlisted to work on the show. Goldsmith's letter echoed some of the assertions made by other disciplined writers, whose punishments range from public censure to suspensions to prohibitions from acting as volunteer captains; with the most drastic being expulsion. They have appealed the decisions. Julie Bush, a consulting producer on AppleTV+'s 'Manhunt,' is among those seeking to overturn her disciplinary action. The board suspended Bush from the guild until 2026 and she was barred from holding 'non-elected guild office' after being found guilty of violating Working Rule 8 and writing for a non-signatory company during the strike. The trial committee had recommended that she be prohibited from serving as a guild captain for three years and censured privately. Bush, who said she is a staunch union supporter, called the proceedings a 'kangaroo court,' particularly as the information she said that was used against her was based on information she provided a guild attorney while seeking assistance. 'If this were a real court, it would be like if your defense lawyer takes off their defense lawyer hat and puts on his prosecutor hat and says 'surprise, we got you' with all this confidential information that you just turned over,' Bush told The Times. 'My particular case is a nuanced matter of contract law,' she added. 'It should never have been brought to trial, much less, this big humiliation in the press. I cannot believe that we've gotten to this point.'
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Writers Guild Voluntarily Recognizes Staff Union
The Writers Guild of America West has voluntarily recognized its staff's intent to unionize with the Pacific Northwest Staff Union, allowing the bargaining unit to move forward on its first labor contract. '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 Writers Guild Staff Union leader Doug MacIsaac said. 'We're happy to be able to advocate for ourselves and look forward to negotiating our first collective bargaining agreement.' The WGSU had collected unionization cards from 81% of WGA staffers by the time it started its counting process. The bargaining unit will consist of more than 110 staffers, including in departments such as finance, residuals, public policy and contracts. 'May 1 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,' WGAW Contracts Coordinator IV and WGSU member Genevieve Gonsal said. 'Here's to solidarity, progress and the next chapter!' The WGSU joins unionized staffers at other entertainment unions, including WGA East, which is unionized under United Steelworkers. Staffers at SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity are also unionized under OPEIU Local 537. The post Writers Guild Voluntarily Recognizes Staff Union appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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. More from Deadline L.A. Is Set To Become A Little Easier To Film In After City Council Passes Motion To Reduce Red Tape 'The King Of Kings' Surpasses 'Parasite' To Become Top-Grossing Korean Film In The U.S. LA Closes In On Measures To Bolster Local Production As City Council Sets Vote 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. Best of Deadline 'Ginny & Georgia' Season 3: Everything We Know So Far Everything We Know About The 'Reminders of Him' Movie So Far Everything We Know About 'The Phoenician Scheme' So Far
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WGA West Penalizes 6 Members For Allegedly Breaking Strike Rules, Announces Multiple Disciplinary Appeals
The Writers Guild of America West on Friday publicly announced disciplinary action against six members for alleged unauthorized work during the union's 2023 strike, as well as one additional member for an alleged violation of the guild's constitution. Four of those disciplined, which the WGAW named in a memo to members today, are appealing the decision. More from Deadline TV Writers Hit By Drastic Reduction In Number Of Jobs, Says WGA 'Last Man Standing' Showrunner Tim Doyle Censured By WGA West For Facebook Posting Of 'Racist And Offensive' Image Stay In L.A. Rally In Sun Valley Attracts Hundreds In Support Of Tax Incentives: "We're Not Asking For A Handout, We Are Asking For The Chance To Work" Julie Bush, Tim Doyle, Edward Drake and Roma Roth are all pushing back against the union board's disciplinary rulings, which were determined via hearings before five-member trial juries. Bush, Drake and Roth are accused of writing during the strike. Bush, whose credited as a consulting producer on Manhunt, has been suspended from the guild until next year and has been barred for life from holding non-elected guild office after being found guilty of violating Working Rule 8 and writing for a non-signatory company during the strike. Drake was expelled for allegedly writing during the strike and 'failing to cooperate' with the Strike Rules Compliance Committee. Roth, an executive producer of Sullivan's Crossing and Virgin River, has also been expelled for writing for a non-signatory company during the strike. Last Man Standing showrunner Doyle's discipline is in regards to a Facebook post that the union called 'racist and offensive depiction of a lynching.' Deadline previously reported on this matter, when Doyle was censured last year. Deadline has reached out to Bush, Drake and Roth for comment. Representatives for Doyle could not be reached. Under guild rules, disciplined members are offered the opportunity to appeal the board's decision to the membership at large. Members in good standing will vote to decide whether to uphold the disciplinary action or adopt 'an alternative action proposed by the appellant,' as the guild states. WGAW members will be able to vote on the four appeals online from 10 a.m. PT on May 6 until 2 p.m. PT on May 9. Best of Deadline 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media 'Hacks' Season 4 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
