Following the overwhelming support given to a strike ballot, and a slew of pressure from Californian and New York politicos, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) are now headed back into talks with The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) next Tuesday about working conditions in the sector.
AMPTP’s statement appears to read the room…
“We deeply value our IATSE crew members and are committed to working with them to avoid shutting down the industry at such a pivotal time, particularly since the industry is still recovering from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Iatse’s position is one that UK Bectu members could identify with very clearly:
“The strong labor-management partnership in the entertainment industry has been essential to its success. It has also been key to the ability of all the unions and employers to respond when faced with difficult issues that impact the industry as evidenced by the unique COVID safety protocols that were jointly agreed to and put in place in 2020.
We urge the AMPTP to recognize the sacrifices made by workers in this industry, to negotiate in good faith, and to reach a fair contract to address the core issues of health and safety, reasonable workhours, and fair pay.”