Jigsaw Productions Recognize the Writers Guild of America, East

New York, NY (October 26, 2021) – Jigsaw Productions, the award-winning nonfiction production company behind TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL, DIRTY MONEY and CRIME OF THE CENTURY, has recognized their union with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE).

The 50-member bargaining unit includes freelance employees in titles such as Associate Producer, Co-Producer, Field Producer, Segment Producer, Post Producer, and more.

Hannah Smith, a member of the Jigsaw Organizing Committee said, “We, the Jigsaw freelancers, are moved by this announcement. As one of the leaders in documentary filmmaking, Jigsaw Productions has been a vessel for our creative aspirations. We are thrilled to begin our next step: negotiating a strong contract that will help bring about change across our industry.”

Alex Gibney, a co-owner of Jigsaw Productions, said, “We, at Jigsaw Productions are delighted to work with the WGAE and the freelance employees to try to come up with a contract that can become a model for the non-fiction industry to follow.”

Lowell Peterson, Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America, East, said, “The WGAE and the freelance employees at Jigsaw have an opportunity to work with the company to address workplace concerns there and to demonstrate that there are alternatives to the exploitive conditions that prevail in the nonfiction TV industry.  Audiences watch more and more nonfiction content on television and on SVOD, and the people who create that content merit better pay, hours, benefits, and conditions – and a more equitable and inclusive environment at their workplaces and in their careers.  We welcome the freelance employees at Jigsaw to this effort and to the WGAE.”

In addition to the employees at Jigsaw Productions, the Guild represents writer-producers at nonfiction television production companies Lion Television, NBC News Service, Sharp Entertainment, VICELAND, and Vox Entertainment.

ABOUT WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, EAST
The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) is a labor union representing writers in film, television, news and new media. The Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members; conducts programs, seminars and events on issues of interest to writers; and presents writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America, East, visit wgaeast.org.

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