Writers Guild of America ratifies four-year contract approving major health plan cuts
Updated
Updated · Variety · Apr 24
Writers Guild of America ratifies four-year contract approving major health plan cuts
8 articles · Updated · Variety · Apr 24
The contract, ratified with 90.38% approval, introduces individual premiums, higher deductibles, and reduces extended coverage points for writers for the first time, effective May 2, 2026 through May 1, 2030.
Studios will contribute $321 million to stabilize the health fund after annual deficits of $50 million, while the deal also increases streaming success bonuses and maintains 2023 staffing gains.
The agreement addresses industry contraction and healthcare inflation, with further AI talks planned. Negotiations with SAG-AFTRA and the DGA are set to follow, as the WGA aims for long-term fund sustainability.
Will Hollywood's other unions accept the WGA's new contract as the industry standard for their talks?
Why must WGA members pay more for health insurance after a $321 million studio deal?
What did writers sacrifice to give Hollywood four years of guaranteed labor peace?
Did the WGA miss its chance to get writers paid for training artificial intelligence models?
Why is the union that just fought for writers now facing a strike from its own staff?