Writers Guild Contract Negotiations to Begin on March 20, as Strike Threat Looms

variety.com:

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The Writers Guild of America will begin negotiations on a new contract on March 20, as the industry holds its breath in anticipation of a possible strike.

The current three-year agreement is set to expire on May 1. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced the date of the talks, making the WGA the first of the three above-the-line guilds to enter bargaining. “The AMPTP is fully committed to reaching a fair and reasonable deal that brings strength and stability to the industry,” the industry group stated.

The WGA declined to comment, other than to confirm the date. The WGA is focused on increasing basic wages and streaming residuals, as well as fighting back against smaller writers rooms.

Many within the union see the shift to streaming as an existential issue, as writers have traditionally depended on broadcast residuals to sustain a middle-class existence.