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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April 26
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.
April 24
NYC unions urge Mamdani to veto anti-protest “buffer zones” bill; 40,000 unionized Samsung workers rally for higher pay; and Labubu Dolls found to contain cotton made by forced labor.
April 23
Trump administration wins in 11th Circuit defending a Biden-era project labor agreement rule; NABTU convenes its annual legislative conference; Meta reported to cut over 10% of its workforce this year.
April 22
Congress introduces a labor rights notification bill; New York's ban on credit checks in hiring takes effect; Harvard's graduate student workers go on strike.
April 21
Trump's labor secretary resigns; NYC doormen avoid a strike; UNITE HERE files complaint over ICE concerns at FIFA World Cup
April 20
Immigrant truckers file federal lawsuit; NLRB rejects UFCW request to preserve victory; NTEU asks federal judge to review CFPB plan to slash staff.