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 1
Senate confirms Keith Sonderling as Labor Secretary; Amazon warehouse workers launch an unfair labor practice strike.
September 30
Harvard grad union wins in First Circuit; AI data trainers initiate misclassification suits; Trader Joe’s found liable under ERISA.
September 29
Unions, AI companies, and private equity firms form a new coalition to shape data center policies; unions express support for the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.
September 28
The Protect College Sports Act nears passage in the Senate; San Francisco municipal workers agree to contract extensions.
September 27
The Trump Administration reaches a settlement with federal unions on reduction in force actions; the United Auto Workers file an en banc petition seeking review of a Second Circuit decision regarding labor arbitrations.
September 25
Healthcare workers rally to restore legal status for TPS holders; nurses at a Maine hospital overwhelmingly vote to form their union despite alleged aggressive union busting tactics.