Over the weekend, members of a union that represents film and television crew employees throughout North America overwhelmingly approved a strike, putting Hollywood productions one step closer to shutting down if a contract dispute with major studios is not addressed quickly.
Last month, negotiations between the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which represents film and television crew members across North America, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents studio producers, came to a halt.
“The members have spoken loud and clear,” IATSE president Matthew Loeb said of the strike authorization, which received virtually unanimous approval from the union’s members. “This vote is about the quality of life of individuals who work in the film and television business, as well as their health and safety.”
Meanwhile, AMPTP accuses the union of abandoning the bargaining table.
If the strike goes through, 60,000 crew personnel, including editors, makeup artists, and camera operators, might walk off the job, halting television and film productions. It would be the first in the 128-year history of the union.
What the members of the IATSE demand in their new contract-
The most recent three-year contract between IATSE and the union expires in July, and the two sides have been trying to reach an agreement since May. The union claims that the AMPTP still needs to engage with them on the following contract concerns.
- Concerns about “extremely dangerous and hazardous working hours”
- Equal pay for manufacturing employees, especially those in the lowest-paying jobs
- Rest intervals that are reasonable at mealtimes, between workdays, and on weekends
- Better remuneration for employees who work on projects that are only available to see online rather than in a traditional theatre.
