The end of the writers’ strike 🎉

Hey and happy October! Quick question: Are you based in Virginia? If so, we’re hosting a community meet-up on Saturday, October 21 from 12 PM to 2 PM in Richmond, VA! We’d love to meet you and chat about all things salary, careers, and negotiation. Coffee’s on us. 💚

 1   The writers’ strike is (finally) coming to a close 🙌

Can you hear that? It’s the collective sigh of relief from Hollywood writers. On Tuesday, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) board unanimously voted to affirm the Hollywood studios’ agreement, effectively ending the 148-day strike.

“The deal is exceptional…it will protect writers, not just now, but in the future,” WGA West President David Goodman told NPR. Here’s what makes this deal so exceptional: 👇

• AI Protections ➜ Writers can use AI for assistance (if their company allows it), but studios can’t force them to use AI. The studios also aren’t allowed to use AI to rewrite original materials.

• Minimum Writers Rooms ➜ Studios must hire at least three writer-producers for six-episode series, five for shows with seven to 12 episodes, and six for shows with 13 or more episodes.

• Increased Minimum Rates ➜ Writers can expect a 5% bump in their paycheck once the deal goes live, followed by a 4% increase in 2024 and 3.5% in 2025.

There’s just one last step. The WGA has to officially ratify the contract (they’ll be voting from October 2 to October 9), but writers are allowed to get back to work as early as this week. 🤝

So…are things back to normal? No—Hollywood isn’t out of the woods just yet. The actors’ union, SAG-AFTRA, is still in negotiations with AMPTP and plans to resume negotiations this Wednesday.

 2   Gig workers are being unjustly let go. One city is fighting back. 👊

Imagine getting fired out of the blue with zero explanation. That’s the reality for thousands of Instacart, Doordash, UberEats, and other gig workers whose accounts were deactivated after minor issues beyond their control, reports Business Insider.

And getting their accounts reinstated is anything but easy. “It’s an endless loop of phone calls and emails, which seem either to be ignored or answered by robots,” said one ex-Doordasher.

FYI: Seattle is the first city to draft legislation protecting gig workers from unfair termination. Starting in January 2025, a driver can’t be fired for refusing too many orders—and if a worker wants to appeal a deactivation decision, it’ll have to be reviewed by a human employee (not AI 🤖).

 3   Women spend $15.4 billion more than men on healthcare 🏥

You’re familiar with the pink tax. But have you heard of the healthcare gender toll? Employed women pay as much as $15.4 billion (yes, billion with a “b”) more than their male co-workers in out-of-pocket health care expenses, per a Deloitte study.

Why? It’s expensive to be a woman—gynecological examinations, breast cancer imaging, and effects of menopausal conditions lead to increased health care costs.

Employers can (and should) help close the gap. Deloitte predicts it would cost employers $133 per insured employee, or about $11 a month, per year. That’s a small investment to protect women’s financial and physical well-being if you ask us.

Growing up, we’re told that college is the best path to finding a job. But skilled trades—such as plumber, electrician, mechanist, etc—are equally viable career options. 🥽

Our latest interview with a journeyman glazier in Boston shows us exactly that:

✔️ He earns $100 an hour and has great benefits.

✔️ He’s part of the Local 1044 Union, protecting him from unfair labor practices.

✔️ He was in an apprenticeship program (no debt!) and earned money as he learned.

This interview made a huge splash on social media and it’s not hard to see why. Learn more about his career path and what other Bostonians are earning right here. ⬇️

• This teacher left her $47K job to work for Costco and says she’s “never been happier.”

• How to get a $5,000 raise at work (remember, it’s normal to ask your boss for a raise!).

• Negotiating your salary can be super intimidating. Luckily, our salary negotiation scripts will ease those negotiation nerves. 💚

• Overlooked. Underpaid. Undervalued. If that’s how you feel in your career, you’ll definitely want to listen to this podcast episode.

• Did you know most tennis players struggle to earn a living? Here’s why.

Thanks for reading! Before we part ways, did you hear about the university in Ireland that’s offering a degree to become a professional influencer? 🤳 The three-year program will offer classes in video and audio editing, creative writing, data analytics, and more.

Do you think influencing is a career path worth getting a degree for? 👀 Hit reply and let us know!

See you next week!