More than 200 members of the Writers Guild of America who work as freelancers in public TV have ratified a two-year extension of their current contract, which includes raises in salary minimums and additional pension contributions from WGBH in Boston and WNET in New York.
The guild represents members working on national programs including Frontline, American Experience, Nova, American Masters, Nature and Great Performances.
After four months of negotiations, members unanimously approved the extension Tuesday. It provides a 2 percent raise in minimum salaries retroactive to July 1, which increases to 2.5 percent July 1, 2015. Employers also will contribute an additional .5 percent to the Producer-Writers Guild of America pension plan.
The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO, based in New York, and the Writers Guild of America, West, Los Angeles, represent writers in motion pictures, television, cable, digital media and broadcast news. The guilds work together on contracts that cover both East and West members, such as this one.