Members of the Writers Guild of America East at Audacy’s Pineapple Street Studios have successfully ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. The three-year contract introduces salary increases and protections against the use of AI in content production.
This contract comes after a prolonged negotiation period following Audacy’s acquisition of Pineapple Street Studios in 2019. The bargaining efforts intensified after the broadcaster’s January declaration of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The successful unionization of the 22 members at Pineapple Street Studios, consisting of producers, editors, engineers, and other podcast production staff, follows similar efforts at other major podcasting companies, including the iHeart Podcast Network, Pushkin Industries, The Ringer, and Spotify Studios.
Key terms of the agreement set a new minimum starting salary of $72,000, effective immediately with ratification. Annual salary increments are scheduled at 3% for the first year and 2% for the subsequent two years. The contract also stipulates that generative AI cannot be used for bargaining unit work without union consent, to ensure that technological advancements do not undermine human jobs.
Additional contract benefits include the requirement for any future employer to recognize and negotiate with the union in the event of the division’s divestment by Audacy. The agreement also improves provisions for time off and severance and removes non-compete clauses and NDAs concerning harassment.
The union secured a continuation of the current flexible remote work policy and established that job interview production tasks, like edit tests, will be compensated at no less than the minimum rate for the role.
Pineapple Street Union member Emerald O’Brien told The Hollywood Reporter, “After nearly a year and a half of negotiations, we are thrilled to have a contract that sets industry standards in both pay and policy…no podcast worker should be receiving less than what we’ve been able to agree to here.”
WGAE President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen highlighted the broader implications of the agreement, adding, “Our members at Pineapple Street Studios held strong for critical union protections like just cause, successorship, and a voice in the implementation of AI. We’re proud to see these hardworking podcast workers secure a strong first contract that will help them build stable careers.”
