Finlay Adamson is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, screenwriters in the Writers Guild of America vote to ratify a four-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, and teachers in Los Angeles vote to ratify a two-year agreement with the Los Angeles Unified School District.
On Friday, screenwriters represented by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) voted to ratify a four-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The WGA represents more than 10,000 screenwriters in Hollywood and throughout the United States. As Gurtaran reported earlier this month, the WGA and AMPTP reached a tentative agreement after about three weeks of negotiation; this is in stark contrast to their 2023 negotiations, which culminated in a 146-day strike. Over 90% of voting Guild members voted to ratify the agreement. Key provisions in this contract include a total increase of $321 million in the union’s Health Fund, as well as licensing requirements for companies looking to use writers’ work to train a commercial Generative AI system. Elsewhere in Hollywood, actors represented by SAG-AFTRA are currently negotiating a contract with the AMPTP; the Directors Guild of America begins negotiations on May 11th.
In other contract ratification news, teachers represented by the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and Associated Administrators of Los Angeles/Teamsters Local 2010 (AALA/Teamsters) voted to ratify an agreement with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) earlier this week. As Elias reported earlier last week, the unions and district reached the two-year agreement following threats of a strike coordinated with Service Employees International Union Local 99, which represents bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers in the district. 92% of voting members approved the contract, which includes an 11.65% increase in salary scales and establishes the starting teacher salary as $77,000 per year. The contract also includes paid parental leave and contractual support for immigrant students and families.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
October 22
SCOTUS declines Wilcox appeal; Penn State research assistants win bargaining rights; SEIU sued over military leave firing.
October 21
DOL withdraws tipped-worker rule; Instacart settles hiring-bias claims; Phillips 66 locks out New Jersey refinery workers.
October 20
Korean unions oppose labor exemption bill; Portland city workers prepare for strike; UPenn grad student union looks to dismiss university filing
October 19
FDA reverses course on policy prohibiting off-duty union activity; FAA and NATCA reach deal to secure pay increase for air traffic controllers.
October 18
Federal judge again halts cancellation of the Bureau of Prisons’ CBA; tabletop gaming workers face roadblocks in union recognition.
October 16
Department of Labor reduces wage-and-hour enforcement at unionized workplaces; Fain's victory poses question of federal monitor's extension.