IATSE Strike Averted as Tentative Deal Is Reached

A strike that would have started today has been averted, as the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) reached a tentative three-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

The Basic and Videotape Agreements affects 40,000 film and television workers represented by 13 West Coast IATSE local unions.

The proposed contract addresses core issues, including reasonable rest periods, meal breaks, a living wage for those on the bottom of the pay scale and significant increases in compensation to be paid by new media companies. It includes, among other things, retroactive wage increases of 3 percent annually, improved wages and working conditions for streaming, and adoption of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

“This is a Hollywood ending,” said IATSE International President Matthew Loeb. “Our members stood firm. We are tough and united.

“We went toe to toe with some of the richest and most powerful entertainment and tech companies in the world, and we have now reached an agreement with the AMPTP that meets our members’ needs.”

The tentative agreement must still be ratified by IATSE members.

“Our members will see significant improvements, but our employers also will benefit,” said Mike Miller, VP and motion picture director for IATSE. “This settlement allows pre-production, production and post-production to continue without interruption. Workers should have improved morale and be more alert. Health and safety standards have been upgraded.”

This agreement, and the contract campaign before it, should serve as a model for other workers in the entertainment and tech industries, for workers employed by gaming companies and for so-called “gig workers,” explained Loeb. “We’re the original gig workers.”

“Like non-union, freelance workers, many of our highly-skilled members go to work at different times, for different employers, at different locations,” Loeb said. “The difference is, our people have healthcare and retirement benefits, can negotiate for better wages and conditions and have a voice and power because they work together through their union.”

“Solidarity is more than a word,” Loeb added. “It’s the way to get things done.”