Writers Guild of America East members at PBS have ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with PBS stations WGBH (Boston), Thirteen (New York) and PBS SoCal.

Under this new contract, PBS animation writers now have WGA coverage for the first time as long as they work on animated programs that are more than five minutes long and are made for TV and new media. Animation writers will also receive residuals for AVOD/SVOD reuse—now that the contract has been ratified. Content that’s reused on AVODs pays 2% of the gross receipts of the licensing deal to credited writers (up from 1.2%), while SVOD reuse pays 1.2%.

Other key points include establishing set minimums for annual wage rate increases at the same percentage as the WGA’s Minimum Basic Agreement: 3.5% on ratification and 3% on July 1, 2025. The WGA has yet to set its 2026 Minimum Basic Agreement, but when it does, that will determine what the July 1, 2026 wage increase that is included in the PBS agreement will be. 

In addition, pension and health contributions will be paid on top of script fees for outside writers, and on top of weekly salaries for staff writers, head writers and story editors.

Giving animation writers the same union protections as other PBS writers was a core demand for the WGA, and the industry rallied behind it, with more than 200 animation writers from 20 PBS KIDS shows pledging not to cross picket lines if PBS’s live-action writers went on strike. 

The PBS writers’ efforts drew interest from the broader industry, with more than 1,250 WGA members signing a petition in solidarity with the writers, including late-night TV hosts John Oliver and Seth Meyers. 

PBS and WGA East reached a tentative agreement on the now-ratified contract on November 22, narrowly avoiding a strike. 

“This historic contract is the result of the strength and solidarity shown by our fellow PBS writers, the members of the Writers Guild of America, and the animation writing community,” said the WGA-PBS bargaining committee in a statement. “With the support of the dedicated WGA East staff, we were able to secure a deal that provides key protections for all PBS writers.  At a time when the mission of public television is more important than ever, we look forward to working with the stations to continue creating programs that inform, educate and inspire.”    

Pictured is PBS KIDS series Carl the Collector.