# 2026 WGA MBA > The current Minimum Basic Agreement between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, effective May 2, 2026, with minimums and working protections for covered writing. Also known as: 2026 MBA, Minimum Basic Agreement, WGA basic agreement ## In practice The MBA is the collective-bargaining floor for covered employment by signatory companies, not a formatting badge for a screenplay. The 2026 agreement has a four-year term beginning May 2, 2026. It addresses compensation, pension and health contributions, credits, residuals, writing steps, television room practices, artificial intelligence, and other conditions that vary by kind of project and deal. The 2026 changes preserve the 2023 AI protections and require companies to notify the Guild when licensing writers' work to train a commercial generative-AI system, with an opportunity for discussion that can include remuneration. Other changes include a higher threshold for guaranteed second steps, a new page-one rewrite minimum, and limits on who may demand rewrites or accept delivery. A product can support careful drafting, delivery records, and readable version history; it cannot make a project or writer MBA-covered. Coverage depends on the employer, signatory status, work, and deal. Check the current agreement and Guild guidance when a question affects compensation, credit, delivery, AI use, or rights rather than relying on a software glossary alone. ## Official sources & context Sources reviewed Aug 31, 2026 MBA coverage and deal terms are fact-specific. This page summarizes official Guild materials and is not a contract interpretation. - [WGA — 2026 MBA contract changes FAQ](https://www.wga.org/contracts/contracts/mba/2026-mba-contract-changes-faq) - [WGA — Summary of the 2026 MBA](https://www.wga.org/contracts/contracts/mba/summary-of-the-2026-wga-mba) - [WGA — 2026 Schedule of Minimums](https://www.wga.org/uploadedfiles/contracts/2026_schedule_of_minimums.pdf) [How much do screenwriters make](https://www.inkwell.software/resources/screenwriter-pay) ## Common questions ### When did the 2026 WGA MBA take effect? The agreement took effect May 2, 2026, and runs for four years. Individual provisions can have their own effective dates, so consult the current summary and contract. ### Does the MBA apply to every screenplay? No. The MBA governs covered work for signatory employers. A privately written spec or a deal with a non-signatory is not made covered merely by using industry formatting. ### Did the 2026 MBA replace the 2023 AI protections? No. The 2026 agreement preserves those protections and adds a notice-and-discussion process for certain commercial GAI training licenses involving writers' work. ## Related terms - [WGA signatory](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/wga-signatory): A company that has agreed to be bound by the WGA collective-bargaining agreement for covered writing employment, including applicable minimums, credits, residuals, and pension and health contributions. - [Literary material](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/literary-material): A defined category of writer-created material under the WGA MBA that can include screenplays, teleplays, stories, treatments, and other covered writing. It is a contract term, not merely a synonym for prose. - [Guaranteed second step](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/guaranteed-second-step): A second paid writing step guaranteed in qualifying WGA-covered theatrical deals. Under the 2026 MBA, the protection expands to writers initially paid up to 225% of the applicable minimum. - [Free work and producer passes](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/free-work-producer-pass): Requested writing performed without an agreed paid step. A producer pass commonly means an extra rewrite requested before material is delivered onward, creating pressure to work beyond the compensated deal. - [Read the pillar guide](https://www.inkwell.software/learn/wga-aware-screenwriting-workflows): A longer guide for this workflow --- Canonical page: