That was the rallying call from WGGB General Secretary Ellie Peers to members at the union’s 2026 AGM, which took place online this week (24 September).
Peers started out by paying tribute to the difference UK writers make: “Writers do make a difference – what you write affects others in many ways, what you say matters. If one writer can do that then imagine what 20, 50 or 100 writers can do if we work together.”
She reported back on union wins since the last AGM, including activity led by elected Officers, Craft, National and Regional Reps and our Equality and Diversity Committee.
WGGB started the year, Peers said, with campaigning and lobbying priorities centred around writers and AI, BBC charter renewal, standing up to censorship, and arts funding. In the spring, members joined the historic Together Alliance march against the far right in London, and we have continued our work around climate change, including signing an open letter to COP30 on storytelling and the climate crisis, and supporting the summer launch of a Writers’ Green Handshake.
She spoke about the recent appointment of two Freelance Champions for the creative industries, something WGGB has been calling for for the past two years. In theatre, audio and TV, the union has negotiated significant uplifts in minimum fees. In film, the union has made progress on negotiations with Pact of a new WGGB film contract which will sit within a new WGGB/Pact film union agreement, we’re pressing ahead with new short film guidelines, and have also published new guides on videogames contracts and for authors on how to beat scammers.
WGGB has also launched a new programme of free in-person workshop for writers around the UK, alongside our existing programme of online workshops and other member events, including our Member Networks for under-represented writing groups. And our lobbying work has continued apace, including responding to numerous Government consultations.
However, Peers cautioned that there was lots coming up on the horizon and it was not the time to “rest on our laurels”:
“We are seeing wide scale decimation of public service media, with major cuts announced at both Channel 4 and the BBC … We are also in the BBC charter renewal year, so will continue to lobby the Government, arguing for a properly funded BBC to negate the need for further cuts to jobs and services.”
She added that budgets are stretched, with broadcasters “trying to compete with global streamers and platforms and trying to attract younger audiences. There is a push for short form programming, and for digital and online first. We have no issue with digital first, or short form, if it is contracted under a union agreement, is properly funded, created, and curated. What we don’t want is the stories you write to be devalued simply because of the platform they appear on.
“We will continue to work with broadcasters and producers, at times we will be their harshest critic, calling them out for poor practice, challenging them, but equally we will celebrate their achievements – high quality programming they produce across all genres and the opportunities these present for writers.”
She also spoke about the union’s campaigning work on AI, and that while some inroads have been made, the Government has still not come up with plans to tackle the issue of copyright and AI and the theft of writers’ work to train large language models. “We have to continue to push back, to say no,” she said, on these and other issues, that WGGB would continue to work with other unions in fighting the ongoing erosion of freelance jobs and poor terms and conditions in the creative industries and that it was vital that members played their part.
“Now is not the time to stay silent,” she said, adding “but you don’t need to be a lone voice. Now is the time to get active, to join with other writers in your union. Do what you can – join a committee, a campaign, a network, attend a conference or event, and talk to other writers and get them to join our union. If we come together and work with allies both nationally and internationally then we can protect our jobs and our industry. Together we can make a difference.”
WGGB Chair Emma Reeves echoed Peers’ sentiments, speaking about union wins in the past year, upcoming activity (including a new children’s TV campaign) and the challenges currently being felt by her fellow writers:
“All of our craft sectors are struggling; budgets and opportunities are squeezed everywhere. For example, in television, shows are being cancelled, despite critical acclaim and popular support, because the companies involved simply cannot afford to make them … When our industries are in crisis mode, the people who hire us are scared for their own jobs. This can lead to a self-imposed pressure to ‘play it safe’, which can cause creative stagnation, and ironically, this ‘safe’ content can lead to losing audiences, who seek more innovative content elsewhere … Meanwhile, highly skilled veterans are leaving the creative industries in vast numbers.”
Light could however be found, she said, from mutual solidarity and the societal value writers bring to the table:
“Our creativity, our talent, the skills which we have spent so many years honing. We can use our abilities to bring hope to people who are discouraged. And when we struggle to find resilience, we can remember that we have each other. We have strength in our solidarity …
“The stories we tell are not just how we make our living; they help to shape the world around us. When we form our policies on important issues such as responsible use of AI or standing up to censorship, we are not just calling for the protection of writers’ rights, but larger societal protections, too. This is not some airy-fairy abstract issue; it directly impinges on how we live our lives … By continuing to create, tell our stories and communicate using our own chosen words, we are defending our humanity.”
In his President’s remarks, Jack Thorne spoke about his first year in his elected role – how he has valued attending union meetings and listening to debates on “matters like the incursion of censorship into our lives and the way we navigate the future of storytelling”.
He said that he “loved marching with my fellow members in the Together Alliance march. It was my first interaction with the union, marching underneath the WGGB flag many years ago, and it was beautiful that there were some that day for whom it was a first interaction too, and others for whom it was their 20th march. There was something so powerful about it being part of a collective of people who want to show themselves powerful with their unity”.
He said how much he loved attending events in Parliament with other creative unions, and discussing copyright and AI with Baroness Beeban Kidron at the South Bank Centre this month.
“The biggest issue for the future is I think AI,” he said, and “the biggest issue for the present is the shrinking power of the public service broadcasters. On AI, the battle is now, and it does require all of us. The Government’s reluctance to legislate on matters of copyright is simply because they’re more frightened of losing the AI money and unaware how precarious a position they’re going to leave the creative sector in. Copyright is our patent, without it investment in the future of our industry will whither and die … We are storytellers, and we’re undervalued, and we need to remind them again and again of our value, and the value of future storytellers”
Concluding, he told assembled writers: “Thank you very very much for all you’re doing, both with your own voice and your collective voice. May we all continue to be noisy. May we make it as difficult as possible to underestimate us. May we make it as difficult as possible to keep us in a box.”
Three motions were debated – including Countering Far Right Narrative – and you can read the text of each motion here. All motions were carried.
Results of recent WGGB elections were announced.
The full list of Executive Council members, including newly elected representatives, can be found on our website.
The following vacancies still exist and if members are interested in standing, they will shortly be sent an email with further details:
- East Midlands
- East Anglia
- North West (Merseyside)
- North East
Reports were presented by WGGB Officers, Craft, National and Regional reps and the Equality & Diversity Committee (you can read more in this year’s annual report).
Thanks to all our members who attended. If you’d like to get more involved in your union, drop a line to [email protected]