Writers Guild Sets Stage for 2026 Contract Talks, Citing Unfinished Business

As the Writers Guild of America prepares to return to the bargaining table next week, its leadership has outlined a clear and urgent set of priorities. The top issue is shoring up the union's health and pension plans, which face significant funding deficits. Guild leaders argue that contribution caps, some unchanged since 2004, must be raised immediately.

"Writers have already paid tens of millions into the health fund over the last twelve years," said WGA West President Michele Mulroney. "Now, we need the companies to step up and do their part."

The 2023 strike, which lasted 148 days, looms over these new negotiations. The Guild is not interested in longer contract cycles, a potential studio offer. "If the companies want stability, that can be achieved by bargaining and addressing the real concerns of writers," said negotiating committee co-chair Danielle Sanchez-Witzel.

Beyond healthcare, the agenda is expansive. It includes strengthening the groundbreaking AI protections won in 2023, particularly as studios license content for AI training. The Guild also seeks to expand rules against unpaid work, improve streaming residuals, and bolster employment terms for television writers.

When asked about the potential merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, Mulroney was blunt. "We believe this merger would have a detrimental effect," she said, citing anticipated job losses and pressure on compensation.

The Guild enters talks with its own internal tension, as a strike by its staff union continues. Leadership insists this will not impact the upcoming studio negotiations, which they say hinge solely on writer leverage. Their message to the studios is unified: come ready to deal. "It's very clear to us that they can afford what we're going to ask," Mulroney said.

Source: Deadline