WGC & INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS REACH TERMS ON NEW AGREEMENT

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) and the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) jointly announced the successful conclusion of negotiations.

The two sides are now in agreement in principle on the terms for a new Independent Production Agreement. The CMPA-WGC Independent Production Agreement establishes the terms, conditions, and rates for writers, story editors, and story consultants.

Victoria Shen, WGC Executive Director had the following to say:

“We are pleased to have reached a fair agreement with the CMPA that will protect the livelihoods of our screenwriter members and maintain stability in the Canadian film and television industry. We feel the new agreement includes important protections for Canadian screenwriters and balances the concerns of our producer partners.”

Sean Porter, the CMPA’s Vice-President of National Industrial Relations and Counsel.

“We are proud to have come to terms on an agreement that truly values the important alliance that exists between Canadian screenwriters and independent producers. I want to thank the individuals on both sides of the bargaining table for their commitment to finding solutions that serve to benefit the future of our sector and Canadian storytelling on screen.”

The terms for the new three-year Independent Production Agreement now go to the CMPA’s Board of Directors. While the WGC will distribute the agreement on their side for ratification. The current agreement expired on December 31, 2023.

Sighs Of Relief

The agreement means there won’t be a writers strike echoing the recent strike South of the border. A decision to strike would have been most unusual for Canada but was beginning to appear the most likely outcome.

Some within Canada’s writers community felt the CMPA wasn’t negotiating in good faith, while many producers felt the terms demanded were unrealistic and unreasonable. Issues such as AI, remuneration for animation scribes and the number of writers on sets were among the most concerning to writers, sources told us.

SOURCE: TV-eh.com