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
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August 21
Tyson workers respond to abrupt plant shutdown; DOL ends its power to police federal contractor bias.
August 20
Unions sue the government over new visa rule; Judge declines to dismiss former Amazon worker's suit.
August 19
NLRB swears in third Trump-appointed Member; Teamster file complaint against Amazon in New York; unions and college students sue Trump admin for international student immigration restrictions
August 18
New Trump administration rules will remove the Merit Systems Protection Board's independence; a CFPB union leader suspended alleges retaliation; the National Treasury Employees Union requires its members to pay dues as it battles to stay financially afloat.
August 17
Tensions rise between New York City's teachers' union and City Hall; NLRB judge finds Brooklyn hospital violated labor law.
August 16
New documents show that federal surveillance operations targeted Minnesota labor unions during the ICE surge, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission denies halting federal class discrimination complaints.