A Hollywood union representing tens of thousands of production employees will soon vote on whether to ratify accords that, among other things, will require improved pay from streaming services.
According to the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the union has secured a tentative three-year “area standards” agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) that “delivers our members a fairer deal on streaming.” AMPTP represents major Hollywood studios such as Netflix, Apple, Amazon, Disney, Paramount, and Warner Bros., among others.
According to a union representative, lawyers are still hammering out the terms of the deal, which could “take a few days.” Members will then need time to go over the terms. A vote should be held within the next two weeks, according to the spokeswoman.
If you don’t have the budget to prioritize safety, then you don’t have the budget to make movies. Full stop.— IATSE // #IASolidarity (@IATSE) October 26, 2021
The tentative agreement agreed this week will cover around 20,000 workers on TV and film productions, including crew, artists, editors, and other behind-the-scenes responsibilities, from 23 local unions across the United States. A tentative agreement was reached earlier this month for separate “basic” and “videotape” contracts that include another 40,000 workers represented by 13 West Coast-based local unions affiliated with IATSE.
That prior agreement narrowly avoided a massive Hollywood strike, which was nearly unanimously backed by the union’s members and would have had far-reaching consequences for the industry. After negotiations with AMPTP broke down, the union’s members backed the strike authorisation.
According to the union, the planned “area standards” agreement will increase pay “substantially” by up to 60% for its lowest-paid workers. All members working under the new contracts will see their salary rise by at least 9% over the course of the three-year contract. Rest intervals, breaks, wage terms, and payouts from streaming services are also covered in the proposed agreement.
Loeb stated in a statement, “We were able to generate advances in all of our core sectors.” “Quality of life issues were at the top of our list of priorities.” For the first time, the protective terms we established in this agreement and the preceding agreement establish a defined weekend with the studios. Both agreements include harsh penalties for failing to provide meals and breaks. Taken as a whole, the gains we gained at the bargaining table are significant, and they are directly attributable to our members’ solidarity.”
