Writers Guild of Canada - History

History

In 1943 The Association of Canadian Radio Artists was formed in order to establish better working conditions and wages for radio performers. Writer’s joined in on this organization, and over the next decade the organization transformed into the Association of Canadian Television and Radio Artists.

By 1984 the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) was formed to better include the other areas of the broadcasting industry. From this organization, other Guilds formed and matured. Most notably the ACTRA Performer’s Guild, Writer’s Guild of Canada, and ACTRA Media Guild. In 1993 The Writer’s Guild of Canada left ACTRA and became an independent union.

The Writer’s Guild of Canada, however, is different from the traditional union. There is no central workplace in the writing industry, and members are not employees, they are independent contractors. This creates legal complications as Provincial labour legislation states that only employees, not independent contractors (with exception of construction workers), can bargain as a collective. This means that WGC members are bound to very tight restrictions in order to protect their rights and their work.