{"id":199829,"date":"2026-03-02T00:20:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T00:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/199829\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T00:20:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T00:20:07","slug":"wga-cancels-los-angeles-awards-show-amid-labor-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/199829\/","title":{"rendered":"WGA cancels Los Angeles awards show amid labor strike"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Writers Guild of America West<\/a> has canceled its awards ceremony scheduled to take place March 8 as its staff union members continue to strike, demanding higher pay and protections against artificial intelligence. <\/p>\n

In a letter sent to members on Sunday, WGA West\u2019s board of directors, including President Michele Mulroney, wrote, \u201cThe non-supervisory staff of the WGAW are currently on strike and the Guild would not ask our members or guests to cross a picket line to attend the awards show. The WGAW staff have a right to strike and our exceptional nominees and honorees deserve an uncomplicated celebration of their achievements.\u201d<\/p>\n

The New York ceremony, scheduled on the same day, is expected go forward while an alternative celebration for Los Angeles-based nominees will take place at a later date, according to the letter. <\/p>\n

Comedian and actor Atsuko Okatsuka<\/a> was set to host the L.A. show, while filmmaker James Cameron was to receive the WGA West Laurel Award.<\/p>\n

WGA union staffers have been striking outside the guild\u2019s Los Angeles headquarters on Fairfax Avenue since Feb. 17. The union alleged that management did not intend to reach an agreement on the pending contract. Further, it claimed <\/a>that guild management had \u201csurveilled workers for union activity, terminated union supporters, and engaged in bad faith surface bargaining.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, the labor organization said that management had raised the specter of canceling the ceremony during a call about contraction negotiations. <\/p>\n

\u201cMake no mistake: this is an attempt by WGAW management to drive a wedge between WGSU and WGA membership when we should be building unity ahead of MBA [Minimum Basic Agreement] negotiations with the AMPTP [Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers],\u201d wrote the staff union. \u201cWe urge Guild management to end this strike now,\u201d the union wrote on Instagram.<\/a> <\/p>\n

The union, made up of more than 100 employees who work in areas including legal, communications and residuals, was formed last spring and first authorized a strike <\/a>in January with 82% of its members. Contract negotiations, which began in September, have focused on the use of artificial intelligence, pay raises and \u201cbasic protections\u201d including grievance procedures.<\/p>\n

The WGA has said that it offered \u201ccomprehensive proposals with numerous union protections and improvements to compensation and benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ceremony\u2019s cancellation, coming just weeks before the Academy Awards, casts a shadow over the upcoming contraction negotiations between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios and streamers. <\/p>\n

In 2023, the WGA went on a strike lasting 148 days, the second-longest strike in the union\u2019s history.<\/a> <\/p>\n

Times staff writer Cerys Davies contributed to this report.<\/p>\n