As talks between IATSE and Hollywood studios over a new bargaining agreement continue, IATSE’s leadership released a memo on Tuesday saying that the two sides remain “far apart” and that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has not addressed some of the key issues that members have pushed on.
“We have made some progress, but the employers have indicated they have done all they need to do,” read the memo signed by IATSE President Matthew D. Loeb and representatives for 13 locals.
Among the key sticking points in talks are increased wages for Hollywood’s lowest paid workers, including script coordinators and art department coordinators represented by IATSE Local 871, and an end to 12+ hour workdays, which the International Cinematographers Guild has pushed for out of concern for preventable accidents caused by worker exhaustion. And like other guilds, IATSE is looking for studios to increase health and pension fund contributions amidst the deluge of new funds coming from freshly launched streaming services.
“If the employers refuse to engage in substantive negotiations, refuse to change the culture by managing the workflow, and refuse to put human interests before corporate profits, the failure to reach an agreement will be their choice,” the statement read.
Talks resumed between the AMPTP and IATSE on August 17 after a pause to allow AMPTP to take part in revisions of the entertainment industry’s COVID-19 safety protocols. The two sides agreed to an extension of the existing CBA ratified in 2018 while negotiations continue, with the extension set to expire on September 10.
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