Hollywood strike averted, unions reach deal with producers

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) has managed to reach a tentative deal with Hollywood producers to improve working conditions and wages for staff on the sets of television and cinema production for which they had threatened to go on strike from Monday onwards if not heard. The strike would have implicated more than 60,000 union-represented workers and could have caused ripple effects throughout Hollywood. The new contract will supposedly cover IATSE for three years,

After talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), IATSE, in its statement, said the proposed contract addresses those issues, including 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. The old labour agreement had been signed at a time when OTT content was in its infancy and circumstances warranted a change, IATSE representatives said to media at the beginning of the negotiations. The new changes will have to be approved by IATSE leadership.

The IATSE has been demanding changes in the way workers are paid and benefits they receive since the pandemic has caused a surge in production of television and OTT content leading to longer working hours and greater workload. Shutdowns from the COVID-19 pandemic had caused a production backlog that led to crews working up to 14 hours a day to feed programming to streaming services. It has received widespread support from Hollywood A listers and members of the industry.