Strike Date Set for IATSE

A strike date has been set for 60,000 film and television workers.

After months of negotiation the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) president Matthew Loeb announced on Wednesday that, unless an agreement is reached, union members would begin a nationwide strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on Monday, Oct. 18 at 12:01 a.m. PDT.

Loeb said the union will continue bargaining with the producers this week in the hopes of reaching an agreement that addresses core issues, such as reasonable rest periods, meal breaks and a living wage for those on the bottom of the wage scale.

“However, the pace of bargaining doesn’t reflect any sense of urgency,” Loeb said. “Without an end date, we could keep talking forever. Our members deserve to have their basic needs addressed now.” 

Last week, IATSE members who work in television and film production at 36 IATSE local unions across the country voted to authorize the union’s international president to call a strike if contract talks didn’t result in a new contract for 60,000 film and television workers. Voter turnout was 90%, with 98.6% of those voting in support of authorizing a strike.

According to IATSE, the most “grievous problems” being negotiated include excessively unsafe and harmful working hours, unlivable wages for the lowest paid crafts, consistent failure to provide reasonable rest during meal breaks, between workdays and on weekends, and workers on certain “new media” streaming projects who get paid less, even on productions with budgets that rival or exceed those of traditionally released blockbusters.

By Mary O’KEEFE