American writers’ deal embraced

Unions organising in the UK entertainment sector are examining the deal struck by the Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) with TV producers and major streaming companies, following five months of strike action.

Lisa Holdsworth, chair of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain union said streamers, studios and producers had made major concessions.

“Uplifts in streaming residuals, greater transparency on streaming data, minimum staffing levels in writing rooms and safeguards on AI — these terms were hard fought for over five long months, and finally won,” she added.

Musicians’ Union general secretary Naomi Pohl said the impact of the US strike will reach “far beyond the immediate impact on work opportunities for UK musicians and could set a precedent for the big streaming companies to offer better terms.

“The WGA also addresses the threat of Artificial Intelligence, which is bound to have international ramifications and is a very exciting precedent.”

The principles agreed include that AI cannot write or rewrite literary material, and the WGA reserves the right to assert that exploitation of writers’ material to train AI is prohibited.

UK Equity performers and creative practitioners’ union general secretary Paul Flemming said the core issues at play for the WGA — and Equity’s US sister union SAG-AFTRA which remained on strike — are at the centre of his union’s negotiations over the coming 12 months.