As the Writers Guild of America West gears up for continuing negotiations with studios, in the hopes of staving off another creative work stoppage, the guild’s staffers have authorized a strike over alleged unfair labor practices by the union itself.
The Writers Guild Staff Union — and the Pacific North West Staff Union, which represents the lawyers, research analysts, software engineers, and more within it — shared in an Instagram post Thursday that 82% of the former’s members voted in favor of such a strike.
“100 members participated in this vote, demonstrating our unity and commitment to winning a fair contract. If management won’t bargain in good faith with us at the table, we will see them on the picket line. #ItsTime,” the post read.
The WGSU is accusing WGAW of “surface bargaining,” “unlawful surveillance,” as well as retaliation and unilateral changes to status quo, Variety reports.
A representative for the guild said in a statement to Variety that WGAW “has been bargaining in good faith with its staff union since September” and “respects the staff’s right to engage in collective activity.” The guild said it “hopes to reach a first contract agreement with the staff union soon.”
The WGSU — which is seeking multiple provisions, including livable wages as well as robust protections against A.I. — won voluntary recognition in April 2025.
In August, they accused Writers Guild of America West of unfair labor practices in the form of “wrongful termination of a WGSU organizing committee member,” per Variety at the time. WGA West denied any retaliatory efforts.
This latest tipping point comes less than two months before WGA West and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are set to resume negotiations on March 16.
Their most recent contract was signed in September 2023 at the end of a historic 148-day strike, which put Hollywood on pause as it overlapped with SAG-AFTRA’s own work stoppage. The latter action ended in November 2023 after 118 days.
