The Writers’ Guild of America East (WGAE), WGGB and BECTU joined forces last week (Thursday 10 May 2018) outside ITV’s shareholders’ meeting, to highlight cases of discrimination and unequal pay among the broadcaster’s employees in the US.

ITV employees in the US have voted to be represented by the WGAE, but ITV has consistently ignored calls to negotiate with union reps and to address workers’ problems.

Union staff and reps leafleted shareholders attending the meeting and asked them to interrogate the broadcaster over a number of issues.

General Secretary Ellie Peers said: “Unions stood side by side outside the ITV AGM in a bid to highlight to ITV shareholders the travesty currently going on with ITV PLC with non-scripted in the US.

“Even though the WGAE has a recognition agreement, ITV PLC has not sat down with the union and negotiated a contract that will protect workers. It is simply not talking to the union in any meaningful way. So the discriminatory practices affecting women and people of colour cannot be addressed.”