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UPDATED, 8.07 a.m. PT with CMPA response: Last year it was strike action in Hollywood, now it’s Canada.
The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) has “overwhelmingly” voted in favor of authorizing strike action if there is no resolution to the ongoing talks with the Canadian Media Producers Association.
Some 96.5% of voted in favor of a strike mandate, with the week-long voting period also marking the highest turnout in WGC history with 70.2% of eligible voters involved.
“This strike authorization vote, a first in the Guild’s 33-year history, represents a pivotal moment for Canadian screenwriters,” said WGC Executive Director Victoria Shen. “It underscores our members’ commitment to securing fair compensation and meaningful AI protections in an ever-evolving industry.
“While a strong strike mandate does not necessarily mean we will strike, it tells the producers we are ready to defend ourselves if necessary. We remain committed to negotiating a fair agreement for our members.”
In response, the CMPA’s Sean Porter, Vice-President, National Industrial Relations and Counsel, issued a statement saying: “The CMPA remains at the table and is committed to a negotiated settlement with the WGC.
“Canadian producers value the work of Canadian screenwriters and sincerely believe that future Canadian projects should be written by humans, not AI algorithms.
“We believe a labour dispute would be extremely damaging to the domestic Canadian film and television production sector and we remain focused on successfully concluding negotiations.”
In scenes reminiscent of the Writers Guild of America and AMPTP back-and-forth that led to a 148-day strike in U.S., the WGC and CMPA have been negotiating a new deal for months with no resolution. Information on the talks has been limited due to an agreed media blackout, but it is understood many of the same issues that tore apart Hollywood are at the heart of the current issues — think AI, compensation (particularly for animation writers) and minimum participation levels. Notably, the CMPA does not represent the streamers and Canadian networks so residuals are off the table.
The strike authorization comes after nearly six months of talks aimed at renewing the existing Independent Production Agreement (IPA). Fears around a strike have been quietly growing, as we reported in January, as producers and writers struggled to reach compromise of major financial and work-related issues.
The previous IPA ended on December 31, 2023, but was extended in the interim in hope of a new deal being struck. Right now, no one is around the table, but the WGC — which represents 2,500 professional English-language Canadian screenwriters — said it was confirming dates “when all parties can get back to addressing the outstanding issues.”
“Our members understand what’s at stake in these negotiations, and I am proud of the strength of their support in this vote,” said Alex Levine, President of the WGC. “We cannot let producers devalue us and our work. We are standing strong and together to secure a future for Canadian screenwriters.”
Last year, during Hollywood’s dual writers and actors strikes, the WGC called attention to the struggles of its own screenwriters in a submission to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission. At the time, the guild revealed that during the past five years, the aggregate earnings of its Canadian citizen members have declined by nearly 22% when adjusted for inflation.
The likes of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, the Directors Guild of Canada, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and media technicians union NABET 700-M UNIFOR have been supporting the WGC in the negotiations.
Should a strike be called, the government would be informed and action would begin 15 days later.
