Kids media companies Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures have recognized the Writers Guild of America East, so writers on future seasons of their shows will have a union. 

Writers at both prodcos will work under the terms of a WGAE and PBS agreement from December 2024, which was the first union contract to include work done by PBS KIDS’ animation writers. In November, more than 200 animation writers, some of whom worked on Fred Rogers Productions series such as Alma’s Way (pictured), threatened to strike if they didn’t get a union agreement.

Now, FRP and Spiffy Pictures writers will also be covered by the agreement, which is for writing work on animated programming that’s more than five minutes long and is made for TV and new media (streaming). Writers will also receive pensions and health contributions on top of script fees and weekly salaries. The animation writers will also receive residuals for AVOD and SVOD reuse. 

“PBS KIDS writers have been a bedrock in educating children around the world,” WGAE president Lisa Takeuchi Cullen said in a release. “We are glad they can work under a Writers Guild contract that provides them with fair pay, pension, health coverage and residuals.”

The last year has been abuzz with union news for animation workers and writers, who have long lacked the same protections as their counterparts working in live action. Walt Disney Animation Studios production management workers ratified their first-ever union contract in March. And in May, Nickelodeon and SAG-AFTRA reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract that would govern guild actors in animated programming produced for Nick’s channels and Paramount+.

Adam Rudman, co-founder and executive producer at Spiffy Pictures (Carl the Collector, Donkey Hodie) praised the agreement in a release. He also expressed a desire for this coverage to set a precedent for the wider animation industry. “Every writer on all of our series over the years has played an integral role in each show’s success, so this was a no-brainer for Spiffy,” he said. “We hope it paves the way for more companies to follow.”

Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer at Fred Rogers Productions, shared this statement with Kidscreen: “We look forward to working with WGA writers on future seasons of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Alma’s Way.”