IATSE and Studios Gear Up for Another Round of Talks on Basic Agreement
Hollywood’s top crew union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) are poised to schedule additional negotiation dates for their Basic Agreement discussions. Despite a three-day extension of talks that concluded early Thursday morning, the parties failed to reach a new agreement.
The union announced that negotiations will continue “as soon as next week.” This comes after the initial bargaining period, which ended on May 16, also failed to yield a deal. The union expressed a positive outlook, stating that “negotiations have largely been productive” and that they have reached consensus on several issues. However, key matters such as wages and funding for the union’s health and pension plan remain unresolved.
Time is running out, though. IATSE does not want to extend negotiations beyond the contract’s July 31 expiration date. The union has warned that it could call for a strike authorization vote if an agreement is not reached by then. Nevertheless, IATSE international president Matthew Loeb remains optimistic, saying, “I remain hopeful that our work will result in a tentative agreement that members will want to ratify.”
The three-year Basic Agreement impacts around 50,000 workers from 13 West Coast IATSE Locals, including the International Cinematographers Guild and the Motion Picture Editors Guild. IATSE’s negotiating priorities include replenishing the union’s health and pension plans, which were severely impacted by the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes, increasing wages, implementing rules around AI, and improving working conditions.
Simultaneously, IATSE is negotiating its Area Standards Agreement (ASA), covering about 20,000 members from 23 Locals outside of major cities like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. These negotiations were paused on June 1, with discussions expected to resume later this month.
Hollywood is holding its breath. For IATSE, securing a robust agreement is vital for its members’ financial and professional stability, with the ongoing job crisis. Especially after supporting their colleagues’ strikes last year, crew members now seek improvements in their own job conditions. Meanwhile, for the AMPTP, reaching a deal is crucial to avoid production disruptions and a repeat of last year’s industry standstill.
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Hollywood’s top crew union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) are poised to schedule additional negotiation dates for their Basic Agreement discussions. Despite a three-day extension of talks that concluded early Thursday morning, the parties failed to reach a new agreement.
The union announced that negotiations will continue “as soon as next week.” This comes after the initial bargaining period, which ended on May 16, also failed to yield a deal. The union expressed a positive outlook, stating that “negotiations have largely been productive” and that they have reached consensus on several issues. However, key matters such as wages and funding for the union’s health and pension plan remain unresolved.
Time is running out, though. IATSE does not want to extend negotiations beyond the contract’s July 31 expiration date. The union has warned that it could call for a strike authorization vote if an agreement is not reached by then. Nevertheless, IATSE international president Matthew Loeb remains optimistic, saying, “I remain hopeful that our work will result in a tentative agreement that members will want to ratify.”
The three-year Basic Agreement impacts around 50,000 workers from 13 West Coast IATSE Locals, including the International Cinematographers Guild and the Motion Picture Editors Guild. IATSE’s negotiating priorities include replenishing the union’s health and pension plans, which were severely impacted by the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes, increasing wages, implementing rules around AI, and improving working conditions.
Simultaneously, IATSE is negotiating its Area Standards Agreement (ASA), covering about 20,000 members from 23 Locals outside of major cities like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. These negotiations were paused on June 1, with discussions expected to resume later this month.
Hollywood is holding its breath. For IATSE, securing a robust agreement is vital for its members’ financial and professional stability, with the ongoing job crisis. Especially after supporting their colleagues’ strikes last year, crew members now seek improvements in their own job conditions. Meanwhile, for the AMPTP, reaching a deal is crucial to avoid production disruptions and a repeat of last year’s industry standstill.
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