Writers from across the UK gathered at our fifth online AGM on Thursday 12 September 2024.

The past year has been another busy one for union activists and staff, negotiating and campaigning for writers in TV, film, theatre, audio, books, animation, comedy and videogames.

In her opening remarks WGGB President Sandi Toksvig OBE spoke about the importance of collective trade union agreements and praised the union’s success in negotiating a historic deal with Netflix since she moved a motion on streaming and fair pay for writers at TUC Congress last year.

She spoke about how these negotiations take a great deal of time, and “by their very nature involve lots of agreement and disagreement, sometimes of walking away and coming back together again, of clauses and counter clauses and lots of red pen.” But in the end common ground is found. The process, she said, “got me thinking about this word ‘agreement’ and how it’s not just the physical piece of paper that is signed when a negotiation is complete. And just how much disagreement, sadly, there is in our wider society today. So much polarity, particularly online where it is fuelled by algorithms and bad actors, determined to divide us and all others who do good in the world, in ever more subtle and manipulative ways.”

She paid tribute to democratic organisations like trade unions which are based on the foundations of debate and discussion, the hearing and representation of myriad different views, yet who are also “stronger when we can find agreement, and when we too can come together in common cause.”

In her report, WGGB Chair Emma Reeves paid special tribute to two WGGB members and activists we have sadly lost in the last year – Jude Tindall and Oliver Emanuel. You can read obituaries for both Jude and Oliver on our website. She also spoke about progress on the resolution passed at our previous AGM, and other union activity in the past year, including lobbying work on AI, campaigns on arts cuts, and regional meet-ups for writers. There was lots for us to be proud of despite the “daunting times” we find ourselves in, and the backdrop of cost of living increases, the challenges faced in our industry and conflict and crisis in the wider world.

WGGB General Secretary Ellie Peers reported on how she had just returned from TUC Congress where “to be in a hall full to the brim with trade unionists filled me with pride. It reminded me that we are part of a larger movement, a movement that fights for equality, justice and solidarity.”

She spoke about how important the union’s work in this area was in a year which had seen a rise in far-right violence: “The threat from the far-right here and abroad has not diminished, and we as trade unionists need to be vigilant, take action and remember that we are part of a collective movement where we bring our differences together, and celebrate them.”

She said that “fighting the good fight” also included the importance of trade union collective agreements and this was particularly important for freelance writers, “who fall outside of traditional employment law and its protections. It is essential that writers’ contracts come under our agreements… that offer protection on copyright, minimum fees and ensure that writers are paid properly and treated fairly and with respect.”

Peers updated members on negotiating wins since the last AGM – WGGB’s Script Agreement for Television and Online with the BBC that included a 10% uplift in fees. The union also signed a historic deal with Netflix for episodic writers, which pays residuals off platform from day one and put an end to buyouts. She reported back on negotiations to update collective agreements with TAC, UK Theatre, Pact and NT Live.

Our lobbying work has stepped up in the run up to the General Election she reported – we published our manifesto Putting writers at the heart of the story, and after the election met with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP at an industry-wide event in Manchester. AI is a central part of our lobbying work post-election, as is pushing for a properly funded and sustainable industry.

Peers praised the activism and engagement of members around the UK and said there were more opportunities than ever to get involved in the WGGB, be this via a regional branch, the Equality and Diversity Committee, or one of our many network meetings for underrepresented writers; supporting a campaign, filling out a survey, attending TUC conferences or attending demonstrations in a show of solidarity with other writers or campaigners, or participating in a meeting “as you are doing today”. “Thank you for being trade unionists, thank you for being activists and thank you for being members of the WGGB, the writers’ union,” she concluded.

Reports were presented by WGGB Craft, National and Regional reps and Officers (you can read all these in the annual report).

Results of recent WGGB elections were announced, as follows:

Emma Reeves (Chair)

Gail Renard (Treasurer)

William Gallagher (Deputy Chair)

Lisa Holdsworth (Yorkshire Chair)

Jamie Rhodes (London & South East Chair)

Florencia Minuzzi and Ben Sabin (Videogames Chairs)

The full list of WGGB Executive Council representatives is available in the Contacts section of our website

The following vacancies still exist (members who are interested should email admin@writersguild.org.uk and put the relevant vacancy in the subject field).

• Scotland
• South West (Devon and Cornwall)

You can see a summary of the AGM on X @TheWritersGuild #wggbagm

Photo of a previous WGGB in-person AGM: Em Fitzgerald