General view of the Hollywood Sign on November 17, 2020 in Hollywood, California.
AaronP / Bauer-Griffin | GC images | Getty Images
An agreement was reached between Hollywood’s studios and a union that represents its film and television teams that would stave off a historic strike that threatened to shut down production across the industry.
On Saturday, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) announced a new three-year contract that meets IATSE’s demands for better working hours, safer working conditions and improved performance.
The new contract includes a 10-hour change between shifts, 54 hours of rest on the weekend, increased health and pension insurance and an annual tariff increase of 3% for the duration of the contract.
“Everything was achieved because you, the members, stood up and gave us the power to change the course of these negotiations,” the IATSE leadership wrote in a memo to union members on Saturday. “Our solidarity at both leadership and grassroots level was the main reason no local was left behind and every priority was taken into account.”
The agreement has yet to be ratified by the union members. IATSE is currently working on how to conduct the ratification process electronically, according to the memo received from NBC News.
It comes less than a day before the IATSE’s strike deadline. This strike would be the first in the union’s 128-year history and the first major strike by crew members since World War II.
After talks stalled in the summer, the IATSE members agreed to a strike if no agreement could be reached with the producers. The union said 90% of the electorate had cast their vote, with more than 98% in favor of the strike.
Their demands followed one of the most tumultuous times in the industry as productions weather a global pandemic to ensure studios could deliver content to consumers.
IATSE represents a wide range of industrial workers, from studio mechanics to cloakroom and makeup artists. In total, it acts on behalf of 150,000 crew members in the USA and Canada. Around 60,000 of these are covered by the current TV and film contracts, which are being renegotiated.
An industry-wide strike would have essentially halted Hollywood production across the country, much like the writer’s strike 14 years ago. This strike between 2007 and 2008 resulted in many shows shortening or postponing new seasons and canceling others.
