California’s state senator is pressing the Writers Guild of America West to end its walkout by accepting the staff union’s call for a fair contract. The studios have reached a deal, but WGA West’s staff remain on strike, marking the 51st day of stoppage.
In a Wednesday letter, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas urged the guild to move toward resolution, arguing that each additional day on strike leaves the guild less able to serve its members. She encouraged leadership to consider the staff union’s invitation toward a fair agreement.
About 110 members of the Writers Guild Staff Union walked off February 17 after months of talks that failed to produce a contract.
The staffers are seeking higher pay, stronger job security, and protections for seniority in promotions and layoffs to counter perceived favoritism.
The WGA West says it has proposed substantial salary increases and notes that talks on March 17 and March 24 did not yield a breakthrough. The guild has told members the strike would end only if WGSU signs a deal or returns to work without one.
Health coverage for striking staff disappeared on April 1 as they continued to wait for a qualifying employment arrangement.
In March, four Los Angeles City Council members voiced support for the WGSU: Eunisses Hernandez, Katy Yaroslavsky, Hugo Soto-Martínez, and Tim McOsker. Smallwood-Cuevas reiterated the staffers’ demands in her letter to leadership, arguing they deserve standard contract provisions, including an equitable pay ladder, layoff protections, and seniority rights in promotions.
Ultimately, the senator stressed that a fair contract is essential for the workers to perform at the highest level on behalf of WGA West members.
As negotiations continue, the mounting political pressure underscores the push toward a timely resolution.
Source: Original article
