Through decades of collective action, writers have won a number of rights and protections which are now secured in Guild contracts.
The purpose of this guide is to provide writers with a quick reference to some of the rights to which you may be entitled under the MBA. It also contains other information beneficial to writers working on films under the Writers Guild’s jurisdiction.
Securing creative rights for writers was a fundamental goal of the Screen Writers Guild at its founding in 1933 and continues as a prime element of the Writers Guild agenda. It is in that spirit that this guide to creative rights is published.
Separated Rights is one of the most important, and perhaps least understood, areas of the MBA. Due to the importance of Separated Rights, it is imperative that writers know and understand what these rights are and how they are obtained.
A provision of the MBA — called reacquisition — allows writers to buy back their unproduced, original literary material when certain requirements are met within the limited window of time in which the material may be reacquired.
We understand that sexual harassment exists in the broader context of sexism and power imbalance, and our union is committed to transforming the culture and power dynamics that currently exist in our industries.
Parental leave, nondiscrimination toward pregnant workers and workplace accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions are protected rights under NYC, NY state and federal laws. Most Guild contracts also protect these benefits to some degree.
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