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Source: Slashfilm
Had things taken a turn for the worse on Monday, October 18th at 12:01 in the morning, the entirety of the nation’s film and television industry could have been completely shut down. That would have been the moment that the International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), a labor union representing around 150,000 artists, technicians, and crew members, would go on strike (the first time since World War II that such an event would happen) and send around 60,000 industry workers to the picket lines in order to push for better working conditions. However, it seems that the possibility of a strike has been reduced, if it even exists, as a deal for a new contract between the IATSE and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the organization representing the several major studios operating in the country, has allegedly been reached. Such a deal will still need to be approved by a majority of union members though, and that’s where complications may start to arise once again.
In their negotiations with the AMPTP, IATSE representatives sought, among other demands, increased living wages, more time off between shifts, and new terms that would require streaming companies and other “new media” to follow the same regulations placed upon traditional media productions like film and television. At initial glance, these issues seem to be addressed in this new agreement, a contract between the IATSE and the AMPTP that will remain in place for another three years. At first glance, the deal seems to be quite satisfactory for those who have been fighting to improve the conditions that crew members must experience when working on a film production. However, as more details about the agreement come to light, union members are expressing greater dissatisfaction with the terms, meaning that a strike could still happen if enough of them are unwilling to approve the contract. “Basically nothing has changed,” claims Ernesto Lomeli, a director of photography living in Los Angeles in an interview with Variety. “I have not heard a single person saying they will vote yes.”
One major demand that seemingly has been included in this new agreement is the requirement of a 54 hour weekend and a ten hour turnaround between shifts for all crew working on any given production. While this is seen by many as a major success for the union, several members claim that it’s still not enough, and that many of the inhumane working conditions, including the length of a shooting day and mention of “new media” productions, have been more or less ignored. With nearly 99% of voting union members approving of a potential strike, there may be a need for further negotiation in order to satisfy a significant portion of union members who may vote to reject the new terms otherwise. “For years we’ve normalized and internalized all these abusive situations,” assistant production accountant Anne Fader states in an interview with Variety. “I almost feel like crew members need a strike to let out all this frustration.”
Not all responses to the deal have been entirely negative though. Many actors and directors, for example, have reacted positively to the IATSE’s announcement of their deal with the AMPTP, including writer/director Adam McKay, actress Saraya Blue, and comedian Patton Oswalt, the latter of whom wrote to IATSE members in a tweet telling them to “don’t forget we got your back anytime you need us”. It should be noted, however, that many of these statements were retracted when the backlash against the new contract began to grow, meaning that many of these high-profile figures who once lauded the success in reaching a new deal may no longer be as excited as they once were. If these people are indeed willing to give their full support to those who could still potentially go on strike, then they will need to do so sooner than later if union members do end up going to the picket lines.
In the meantime, a townhall meeting is being arranged for IATSE members to further discuss the terms of the new contract and debate whether or not to continue their pursuit of a strike. This will supposedly help those who are still undecided on the matter make a more fully thought-out decision, with one such member, costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones (who had previously worked on the Academy Award winning “Judas and the Black Messiah”), expressing her mixed feelings in an interview with Variety. “Part of me wanted us to strike and put real pressure on AMPTP to meet our demands,” Jones claims. “I do know I’m hearing mixed opinions. IATSE leadership says it’s a good deal yet a lot of IATSE members are saying it’s not enough.”
Fortunately for people like Jones, there’s still a little bit more time for them to come to a decision. Because the details of the deal have yet to be compiled together into a single contract, there will likely be several more weeks until a ratification vote can take place. Film and television productions will resume as originally scheduled until then, meaning that the nearly 150,000 members of the IATSE – a group that consists of cinematographers, editors, electricians, hair/makeup artists, prop-makers, set designers, and people of countless other crafts – will have to return to work as they have been as of lately. When the time for a vote does eventually come though, they will have the opportunity to make their voices heard once again, and if what is being publicly stated so far is any indication, there is a strong chance that the new contact will fail to reach ratification, which would quickly lead to the union declaring a strike.
There seems to be quite a bit of dissonance between union leadership, which has spoken positively about the new deal and claiming it to be a “landmark decision”, and the union members themselves, who have mostly expressed either great dissatisfaction or uncertainty with what is being proposed. Regardless of whether the contract is agreed or a strike begins instead, it will be very interesting to see how much of an impact this all has between the union and those who are a part of it.
