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- The 60,000-strong IATSE union voted to authorize a film and TV production strike on Monday.
- The strike comes in response to "quality-of-life issues" in the industry.
- Over 98% of the union voted in favor of the strike, according to the union.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
The members of the 60,000-strong International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees union voted to authorize a film and TV production strike on Monday, according to Variety.
According to the IATSE, the vote was overwhelming, and the move will allow union president Matthew D. Loeb to call a strike over "quality-of-life issues." The authorization makes this the first nationwide strike conducted by the IATSE, which houses members in the industry ranging from cinematographers to writers to assistants and more, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Results show 90% of eligible union voters cast ballots, with more than 98% of them in support of strike authorization," the union said in a release.
36 local unions participated in the vote across the country between October 1 and October 3. Each local union voted over 96% in favor of the strike.
According to Variety, the vote comes as talks between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers had reached an impasse, as workers protested long-time and COVID-19 working conditions.
The union said in a September 21 press release that the strike, in part, comes in response to "Excessively unsafe and harmful working hours" and "Unlivable wages for the lowest paid crafts."
The union also listed "Consistent failure to provide reasonable rest during meal breaks, between workdays, and on weekends" and "Workers on certain 'new media' streaming projects get paid less, even on productions with budgets that rival or exceed those of traditionally released blockbusters" as grievances in the same release.
"This failure to continue negotiating can only be interpreted one way. They simply will not address the core issues we have repeatedly advocated for from the beginning," said Loeb, the union president, said in a letter to members on September 20.
-Alex Press (@alexnpress) October 4, 2021
"The members have spoken loud and clear," Loeb told Variety in a statement. "This vote is about the quality of life as well as the health and safety of those who work in the film and television industry. Our people have basic human needs like time for meal breaks, adequate sleep, and a weekend. For those at the bottom of the pay scale, they deserve nothing less than a living wage."
Studios can avoid the strike by making a "reasonable offer" to tackle the labor issues, Loeb said in the press release.
"The AMPTP remains committed to reaching an agreement that will keep the industry working. We deeply value our IATSE crew members and are committed to working with them to avoid shutting down the industry at such a pivotal time, particularly since the industry is still recovering from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic," the AMPTP said in a Monday statement.
The Alliance said in the same statement it will make an effort to address the issues at hand, "but it will require both parties working together in good faith with a willingness to compromise and to explore new solutions to resolve the open issues."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
source https://www.businessinsider.com/iatse-union-votes-to-authorize-film-and-tv-production-strike-2021-10