![]() The scheme is coupled with clauses in several Guild MTAs entitling members to pension contributions in addition to their writing fees. The Writers' Guild Pension Scheme provides personal pension plans customised for freelance writers who may need to make irregular and sometimes small pension contributions. UK WGGB members who achieve TV or film writing contracts in the US can join the Writers Guild of America without paying the usual $2,500 initial fee. WGGB has a reciprocal membership and services arrangement with the Irish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild. International connections include: International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (screenwriters guilds in the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, France and Mexico) European Writers Congress (over 50 organisations) Fédération des Scénaristes d'Europe (screenwriters' groups in 14 countries) UNI-MEI (worldwide trade union organisation representing millions of workers in the TV, film, media and entertainment industries). Recent campaigns include the Equality Writes campaign, tackling inequality in the screen industries. WGGB representatives attend regular briefings with the Arts Council, Ofcom, the Public Lending Right agency and other national bodies. It co-operates closely with other unions including Equity, the Musicians' Union and the Society of Authors and is affiliated to the British Copyright Council, Creators' Rights Alliance, Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom and other pressure groups. WGGB makes a point of highlighting the importance of writing for children in all media. WGGB made strong protests when crowd violence halted performances of Behzti by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti at the Birmingham repertory theatre in December 2004, and subsequently revived its Anti-Censorship Committee. WGGB is a campaigning union and effective lobbying efforts have concentrated on MEPs considering the European copyright directive, and MPs, peers and the media over the Communications Bill and the BBC Charter renewal. The Annual General Meeting features an address by an industry professional/s, an opportunity to debate issues of importance to writers and amend WGGB's rules. Examples include a Meet the Agents event in London, Television Writing: Women's Work? in Leeds, an exclusive Archers event in the West Midlands, plus screenings of new and upcoming film releases. Regular events are organised for members. This includes contract vetting, legal advice, help with copyright problems and representation in disputes with producers, publishers or other writers. WGGB advises its members on all aspects of their working lives. These agreements are regularly renegotiated and in most cases the minimum fees are reviewed annually. ![]() The most important MTAs cover: BBC TV Drama BBC Radio Drama ITV Companies PACT (independent TV and film producers) TAC (Welsh language independent TV producers) Theatrical Management Association Independent Theatre Council and an agreement covering the Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal Court Theatre. It negotiates a series of Minimum Terms Agreements governing writers' contracts and covering minimum fees, advances, repeat fees, royalties and residuals, rights, credits, number of drafts, script alterations and the resolution of disputes. It represents writers working in television, radio, film, theatre, books and multimedia. Wilsher, David Nobbs, Anthony Read, Olivia Hetreed and David Edgar, the noted playwright, TV and film writer ( Nicholas Nickleby for the Royal Shakespeare Company Pentecost, which won an Evening Standard award in 1994 The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs Albert Speer, based on Gitta Sereny's biography of Hitler's architect Playing With Fire etc.) The current president is Sandi Toksvig OBE. ![]() Presidents, chairs and leading activists of WGGB have included: Lord (Ted) Willis, Jimmy Perry, Bryan Forbes, Denis Norden, Maureen Duffy, Alan Plater, Rosemary Anne Sisson, Wally K. In 1997 WGGB merged with the Theatre Writers Union, and membership now stands at around 2,600. WGGB also hosts the annual Writers' Guild Awards. It sponsored the campaigns of the Writers' Action Group to establish the Public Lending Right and the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society which – starting from a single room in the Writers' Guild premises – has collected and distributed over £100 million in payments to writers for photocopying and overseas retransmission of broadcasts. During the 1960s it expanded to cover radio and book writers and adopted its present title in 1966. The union was founded in 1959 as the Television and Screen Writers' Guild (commonly known as the Screen Writers' Guild), the successor to the Screenwriters' Association dating back to 1938. ![]() It is affiliated with both the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG). The Writers' Guild of Great Britain ( WGGB), established in 1959, is a trade union for professional writers. ![]()
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