The Writers Guild of America West has been accused of violating labor law by firing a staffer who helped organize guild employees.
The Pacific Northwest Staff Union won voluntary recognition as the bargaining representative for 110 WGA staffers in April. The staff are now seeking greater job protections as part of their first contract.
In August, the union lodged an unfair labor practices complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging “wrongful termination of a WGSU organizing committee member.”
The PNWSU declined to make a further comment about the allegation. In a statement, the WGAW said that it “did not and will not retaliate against any employee.”
The leadership of the WGAW congratulated the staff on organizing in April, noting that, “The right to organize and collectively bargain are central tenets of our organization.”
The staff union is beginning negotiations Tuesday evening on its first contract with the WGAW. Among its top priorities is “just cause” for employee discipline, along with competitive wages and codification of its existing health and retirement benefits, the staff union said in a release. The staff also indicated it is seeking protection from “unfair treatment.”
“We’ve done a lot of work to get to this point, and we’re excited to get to the bargaining table,” said Dylan Holmes, a counsel at the WGA who also serves as co-chair of the staff union bargaining committee. “Our priority is negotiating a strong first contract that provides our staff fair compensation, benefits, and job security. That way, we can be in the best position possible to fight for writers in 2026 and beyond.”
In its statement, the WGA said it looks forward to negotiating the contract with the staff union.
The WGA West represents about 17,000 members, including approximately 5,000 emeritus and “post current” members who do not vote in guild elections. The union is due to bargain next year on a new three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The current deal, which ended the 2023 writers’ strike, expires on May 1, 2026.
Missy Brown, a 16-year employee of the guild, said that the new staff union has already shown that a “collective voice is better than facing management alone.”
“It’s time to use our power to negotiate higher wages, enshrined health and retirement benefits, and protections against unfair treatment,” she said in a statement. “I look forward to negotiating the best possible contract for myself and my colleagues.”
The staff union won recognition from WGA West management after 81% of the bargaining unit signed cards in support. The staffers of the WGA East and SAG-AFTRA are also unionized.
The PNWSU also represents employees of certain SEIU locals and of the L.A. County Federation of Labor.
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