The Writers Guild of Canada and the Canadian Media Producers Association have reached an agreement in principle for a new IPA (Independent Production Agreement).
Both orgs announced earlier this morning that they have settled on terms for a new three-year deal, bringing more than six months of negotiations over key labor issues such as fair compensation and protection from AI to a close.
The agreement circumvents a potential writers strike that seemed possible late last month when 96.5% of participating WGC members voted in favor of a work stoppage.
“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,” notes Victoria Shen, executive director of the WGC.
“We feel the new agreement includes important protections for Canadian screenwriters and balances the concerns of our producer partners,” adds Sean Porter, the CMPA’s VP of National Industrial Relations and Counsel. “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 specific terms of the new IPA will be revealed once they’ve been ratified. But it lays out workplace conditions and rates for writers, story editors and story consultants in Canada. The most recent agreement between the WGC and CMPA expired on December 31, and this is the first time in history that the orgs didn’t have a new one finalized prior to expiry.
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