WGA West Staff Votes To Stay On Strike As Standoff Hits 2-Month Mark

The Writers Guild of America West‘s staff is staying on strike for now.

After two months on the picket lines, the 115-member bargaining unit held a vote Friday about whether to stay on strike or approach guild management about essentially accepting their March 11 proposal. Per a memo sent to WGSU members on Friday afternoon, more than 85% voted in favor of continuing the work stoppage. The union says a “supermajority” of members participated.

It’s unclear how (or whether) the WGAW will respond. The two parties have been in a standoff for several weeks now, essentially since mid-March when the writers began bargaining with the major studios on a new film and TV contract. Since the WGA East and West made a quick deal with the AMPTP, western leadership was expected to turn its attention back to the staff debacle.

That has so far not been the case. Deadline understands that there has not been any meaningful movement between the WGA West and its staff union since talks with the AMPTP wrapped.

The WGSU offered what it deemed a “strike-ending” proposal on March 26, though guild sources indicated that management would not accept this offer nor did they plan to publicly engage with it at all.

Deadline has reached out to the WGA West for comment. This post will be updated if/when the union responds.

The WGSU first hit the picket lines in mid-February. It has been a very rocky path toward a deal for the WGA West and its 115-member staff union, which organized last year and has been attempting to negotiate its first contract since September. The staff has repeatedly accused management of unfair labor practices, which the guild denies.