Staff employees of the Writers Guild of America West are planning to vote on whether to seek union representation, Daily Variety said Wednesday.

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The paper said about 80 staffers at the guild will hold a vote Dec. 8 on whether to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

If a majority votes yes, the staffers would join Teamsters Local 986, which has represented a few dozen staffers at the Screen Actors Guild's Los Angeles headquarters since 2001.

The WGA staff organizing committee issued a statement saying if WGA staffers vote to unionize, contract talks would address issues including pay raises, cost of living increases and seniority rights.

"We feel that the WGA West staff should enjoy many of the same protections and benefits we work every day to defend for WGA members," said the statement. "This election will give staff a voice in determining the quality of their workplace environment and halt the continued erosion of staff benefits by WGA West management."