The WGA East writers on PBS live-action shows and three PBS member stations have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, narrowly avoiding a strike. 

The deal includes first-ever union protections for animation writers, as well as paid parental leave, AI protections, expanded protections for made-for-new-media programs (content made for streamers) and increased residual payments for content that’s licensed to streamers. The agreement also includes industry-standard raises and makes it easier for writers to access healthcare coverage. 

The council of the Writers Guild of America East and the board of the Writers Guild of America East will vote on sending the tentative agreement to the 94-member bargaining unit for a ratification vote. The deal’s specifics will be released before the bargaining unit votes on ratifying it. 

“THIRTEEN, GBH, and PBS SoCal are pleased to have reached an agreement with WGA East,” the three PBS member stations said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our work to deliver trusted public media to our audiences.” 

The deadline for Writers Guild of America East writers and the trio of PBS member stations to sign off on a new contract was yesterday at 11:59 p.m. ET. More than 200 animation writers from 20 PBS series, including Carl the Collector (pictured), Alma’s Way and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, signed a pledge saying they wouldn’t write for the stations if a strike was called. 

PBS animation writers weren’t previously included in the WGA – Public Television Freelance Agreement, which covered only live-action writers on series such as FRONTLINE and NOVA prior to this new agreement.