The Hollywood talent agency WME will now pay its entry-level workers (closer to) a living wage. After an industry survey revealed that most agency and television studio assistants earned $50,000 a year or less, WME has upped the salaries of its agents’ assistants. Per Publishers Lunch, “William Morris Endeavor has responded to the #PayUpHollywood initiative by joining other large talent agencies in raising compensation for their assistants. The starting salary for assistants will go from $15 an hour — the legal minimum wage in New York City — to $18 an hour (or $37,440 annually).†An added bonus: assistants, widely regarded as human beings, will have their very own email addresses with their very own names on them. “In an important symbolic move, WME will recognize assistants as distinct individuals — providing them with email addresses that include their names, rather than designating them as [email protected],†the trade reported. Ah the sweet, sweet victory of fixing something obvious that no one really asked for.
Congratulations to AGold.assistant@wmeagency.com — (almost) a living wage and your very own in-box.