Copyright The Hollywood Reporter
The Writers Guild of America has unveiled the staff and union members who will be leading the group into battle with studios and streamers during its first negotiations since its 2023 strike. Again leading bargaining for the union will be Ellen Stutzman, the WGA West executive director who helmed the talks with company bargaining representative the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers amid a 148-day strike in 2023. Stutzman, thrust into the chief negotiator role that year after longtime leader David Young took a sudden medical leave of absence, ultimately was credited with helping the union secure its first AI protections and a bonus for successful streaming programs. The Scriptnotes podcast co-host and Aladdin and Big Fish screenwriter John August will serve as co-chair of the 2026 negotiating committee alongside Survival of the Thickest creator and writer-producer Danielle Sanchez-Witzel. Both August and Sanchez-Witzel served on the 2023 negotiating committee for the union. Rounding out the 2026 negotiation committee will be Ali Barthwell, Yahlin Chang, Stan Chervin, Larry J. Cohen, Josh Gondelman, Phil Hay, Erica Haywood, Chris Hazzard, Melissa London Hilfers, Christopher Kyle, Molly Nussbaum, Luvh Rakhe, Shawn Ryan, Betsy Thomas, Danny Tolli, Erica Saleh, Mike Schur, Cat Vasko, Ben Watkins, Kat Wood and Lisa Zwerling. Also taking part will be the top leaders of the WGA East and West. WGA West president Michele Mulroney, vice president Travis Donnelly and secretary-treasurer Peter Murrieta are on the committee; so too are WGA East president Tom Fontana, vice president of film, television and streaming Michael Rauch and secretary-treasurer Sasha Stewart. The WGA is expected to prioritize securing its challenged health plan and establishing further protections against AI in the 2026 talks. The union will be facing a new chief negotiator in AMPTP president Greg Hessinger, who succeeded longtime leader Carol Lombardini in April. More to come.
