[US] Sesame Street writers’ strike averted

Sesame Workshop writers - whose work includes scripts for Sesame Street - reached a tentative agreement with management and avoided strike action, MSN reports.

On April 19, the Writers Guild of America announced the agreement, avoiding the prospect of one of the first strikes led by unionised Sesame Workshop writers.

Nonprofit organisation Sesame Workshop produces Sesame Street. Its unionised writers - represented by the Writers Guild of America East and Writers Guild of America West - reportedly write scripts on shows that include Sesame Street, Helpsters, and The Not Too Late Show With Elmo.

In an April 19 statement, the WGA Sesame Workshop Negotiating Committee said, "We are so proud to work for an organisation that values its writers, and we believe this new contract will positively impact writers throughout the children's media landscape. 

"'S' truly is for Solidarity. We are glad to have a contract in place that allows Sesame to do what it does best - lead."

According to the WGA, the Workshop's bargaining unit would vote to ratify the agreement in the following days.

The agreement came days after a unanimous vote from Writers Guild members on both coasts to authorise a strike if they couldn’t reach a new agreement. 

Since negotiations began on February 13, writers have campaigned for "industry standard" annual raises, residual increases and union benefits such as pension and healthcare for Sesame Workshop's animation and social media components.

The announcement reportedly stated that the union had won "historic jurisdiction, minimum rates for animation and new media programs produced by Sesame, protections against artificial intelligence, paid parental leave benefits and substantial improvements to new media residuals."

"The writers that Sesame Workshop hires are deeply committed to the work that we do," WGA Sesame Workshop negotiating committee members said in a press release. "Like the Workshop itself, we are mission-driven and child-focused, and we work hard at telling stories that contribute to the Workshop's curricula inspired by heart, curiosity, community, kindness, diversity, equity, and inclusion."

In addition, members of the Sesame Workshop negotiating committee said that they were committed to establishing a fair contract and attracting "top-level" talent, to write stories that balance "entertainment, playfulness, and joy with education and enrichment." 

"Sesame Workshop writers won a new agreement that recognises the value of the incredible work they do to educate and enlighten children around the world," Lisa Takeuchi Cullen - Writers Guild president - said in an April 19 statement. "This contract could not have been achieved without the solidarity and fortitude shown by the entire bargaining unit throughout the negotiations. Workers win when they stand together."

Source: MSN

(Quotes via original reporting)

Sesame Workshop writers - whose work includes scripts for Sesame Street - reached a tentative agreement with management and avoided strike action, MSN reports.

On April 19, the Writers Guild of America announced the agreement, avoiding the prospect of one of the first strikes led by unionised Sesame Workshop writers.

Nonprofit organisation Sesame Workshop produces Sesame Street. Its unionised writers - represented by the Writers Guild of America East and Writers Guild of America West - reportedly write scripts on shows that include Sesame Street, Helpsters, and The Not Too Late Show With Elmo.

In an April 19 statement, the WGA Sesame Workshop Negotiating Committee said, "We are so proud to work for an organisation that values its writers, and we believe this new contract will positively impact writers throughout the children's media landscape. 

"'S' truly is for Solidarity. We are glad to have a contract in place that allows Sesame to do what it does best - lead."

According to the WGA, the Workshop's bargaining unit would vote to ratify the agreement in the following days.

The agreement came days after a unanimous vote from Writers Guild members on both coasts to authorise a strike if they couldn’t reach a new agreement. 

Since negotiations began on February 13, writers have campaigned for "industry standard" annual raises, residual increases and union benefits such as pension and healthcare for Sesame Workshop's animation and social media components.

The announcement reportedly stated that the union had won "historic jurisdiction, minimum rates for animation and new media programs produced by Sesame, protections against artificial intelligence, paid parental leave benefits and substantial improvements to new media residuals."

"The writers that Sesame Workshop hires are deeply committed to the work that we do," WGA Sesame Workshop negotiating committee members said in a press release. "Like the Workshop itself, we are mission-driven and child-focused, and we work hard at telling stories that contribute to the Workshop's curricula inspired by heart, curiosity, community, kindness, diversity, equity, and inclusion."

In addition, members of the Sesame Workshop negotiating committee said that they were committed to establishing a fair contract and attracting "top-level" talent, to write stories that balance "entertainment, playfulness, and joy with education and enrichment." 

"Sesame Workshop writers won a new agreement that recognises the value of the incredible work they do to educate and enlighten children around the world," Lisa Takeuchi Cullen - Writers Guild president - said in an April 19 statement. "This contract could not have been achieved without the solidarity and fortitude shown by the entire bargaining unit throughout the negotiations. Workers win when they stand together."

Source: MSN

(Quotes via original reporting)