An IATSE strike threat and picket lines at several major college basketball games brought the fledgling Pac-12 Network to the bargaining table on Tuesday.
On Monday, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees had announced plans to picket games at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday and at USC’s Galen Center Saturday. IATSE had thrown up picket lines at several games televised by the new network on Dec. 8.
Also read: IATSE OKs Strike Against Fledgling Pac-12 Network
Tuesday, in a letter to the union, the network’s executive vice-president Lydia Murphy-Stephans agreed to discuss the issues after IATSE agreed to call off the picketing
Since going on the air in September, and operating under IATSE’s jurisdiction, the regional sports network has used lower-paid non-union employees during its broadcasts of Pac-12 conference sporting events, the union maintained.
"While these discussions are taking place, we have agreed to stop all picketing … and have our folks return to work," IATSE's broadcast department director Sandra England said in a message to union members.
IATSE represents more than 100,000 crew members who work on movies and TV shows.and has been aggressively seeking to make inroads on reality TV shows during the past year.