By Variety | Created at 2024-11-18 21:34:12 | Updated at 2024-11-18 23:34:17
2 hours ago
Writers on the PBS shows “Frontline,” “NOVA” and “American Experience” have voted to authorize a strike if a new contract is not reached by midnight on Thursday.
The Writers Guild of America has been bargaining since late September with three PBS stations — WGBH in Boston, Thirteen in New York and PBS SoCal in Los Angeles. The union is seeking improved terms, such as “reasonable” residuals for streaming, for 94 writers in the bargaining unit.
If a deal is not reached, the union could call a strike as soon as Friday. A strike would halt writing work on numerous PBS shows, which also include Ken Burns Specials, “American Masters” and the PBS Kids series “Donkey Hodie” and “Odd Squad.”
The union is seeking to expand its jurisdiction to cover PBS animated series, such as “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” “Molly of Denali” and “Pinkalicious & Peterrific.” Writers on those shows have pledged not to cross a picket line if a strike is called.
“Writers Guild members at PBS would much rather end the week with a fair and equitable contract than with a strike,” said Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, the president of WGA East, in a statement. “But they are also willing to do what is necessary to reach an agreement that reflects their working conditions and meets their very reasonable demands.”
Representatives from the three PBS affiliate stations declined to comment on Monday.
The WGA also obtained a strike authorization vote in April on behalf of 35 writers on “Sesame Street.” A five-year contract was reached three days later. That contract obtained union coverage for writing on animated segments on the show, as well as an improved streaming residual.
Writers on these shows were not affected by the five-month strike last year against the major film and TV studios, as they are covered by different contracts.
