- Hollywood's crew member union reached a tenative deal with studios, avoiding an industry-crippling strike.
- Members have pushed for longer rest breaks and higher wages for lower-paid crafts, amid outrage over difficult working conditions.
- Had they pursued a strike, some members would have stopped working on sets starting Monday.
Negotiators for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have settled on a deal to avert a potential industry-crippling workers' strike.
The union announced the agreement Saturday evening. IATSE released a statement saying the agreement included provisions such as a living wage for the lowest-paid earners, daily rest periods of 10 hours, weekend rest periods of 54 hours, and newly adopted diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The unions entered virtual marathon meetings late on Friday, according to Variety, with AMPTP President Carol Lombardini addressing details surrounding problematic working conditions in the industry. Lombardini and Matt Loeb, IATSE president, came to an agreement on multiple fronts, understanding the repercussions a crew member strike would have on the industry as it recovers from COVID-19.
Industry sources also told Variety that Walt Disney Television chief Peter Rice was among those present at the meeting who helped bridge the gap between the two parties.
IATSE union members have pushed longer rest breaks and higher wages for lower-paid crafts, after multiple accounts of dangerous working conditions spread throughout social media, sparking support from the industry's actors, directors, and writers, among others.
Had IATSE pursued a strike, members of the crew member union would have stopped working on numerous sets, including some big-name productions, starting Monday. Shows like the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and SNL, daytime soaps like Days of Our Lives, and scripted shows like Grey's Anatomy and Law and Order: SVU would have gone= without editors, lighting crews, and costumers. In the longer term, a strike could have delayed streaming hits like Bridgerton and Ted Lasso, and bigger budget films like Marvel Studios blockbusters.
Ninety-eight percent of IATSE members voted to authorize a strike in October. The IATSE and AMPTP resumed bargaining negotiations last week after the Loeb announced the former would go on strike unless the parties could reach a deal by the weekend. Negotiations have gone on since July, with the threat of an impending strike hanging overhead.
source https://www.businessinsider.com/iatse-backs-down-on-strike-reaches-contract-agreements-2021-10