Robert Iafolla at Bloomberg Law reports Union deals in the Entertainment and Professional Sports Industries are set to expire in 2026, setting the stage for attention-grabbing contract disputes that could have ripple effects across Organized Labor. Labor pacts that the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America made with studios will expire in June and May, respectively. Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Collective Bargaining Agreement lapses in December, while the Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) contract expired late last week. The kind of high-profile work stoppages that preceded the last contracts in Hollywood and the MLB could be in the offing this year. WNBA Players recently authorized Union Leadership to call a Strike - if necessary. “These types of Labor issues matter very much to smaller Unions because they put the idea of collective bargaining into the public consciousness, which can be very motivating,” said Paul Ortiz, a Labor Historian at Cornell University and former President of the United Faculty of Florida Union. Prominent Labor disputes can provide a boost to Worker Solidarity and Organizing, he said. The next round of contract talks for Actors and Writers will resonate with many Workers because one of their central concerns will be Artificial Intelligence, an issue that has employment-related implications across the economy, Ortiz said.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Hollywood, Pro Sports Union Talks Primed to Rally Labor in 2026

Graphic Courtesy Of SAG-AFTRA’s Facebook Page.