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Writers At iHeartPodcast Network Ratify First Contract More Than 2 Years After Unionizing With WGA


More than two years after unionizing with the WGAW, the writers at iHeartPodcast Network have their first deal

The 100-member bargaining unit of the Writers Guild of America East has “overwhelmingly” ratified its first deal with the network, the union announced on Monday. A minimum starting salary of $63,000 for unit members in New York or Los Angeles and $58,000 for members in other locations; across all unit members, the union won nearly half a million dollars in immediate pay increases Annual minimum salary increases of 3% in the first year of the contract, and 2% in the second and third year of the contract Continued 401(k) match, after the Company cut the match for non-union employees Time-and-a-half for work assigned on a holiday Severance of up to 16 weeks; Improved bereavement paid time off The right to bargain over any implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace Overtime protections and comp time for those who don’t receive overtime Greater transparency on show metrics and spending Just cause, and a strikethrough for all references to at-will employment from existing individual contracts Union security “With more than 30 million monthly listeners, podcasts have become an essential part of iHeartMedia’s business and their employees deserve to be fairly compensated and provided with workplace protections.

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