IATSE disappointed that employers won’t come to the table on key matters
This week we have seen union negotiations between IATSE and AMPTP fall sour and get put on ice until July 6th. It’s a disappointing development for ‘easy’ negotiations that were originally predicted to take only 2 weeks from their May 17th opening talks. BLAKE & WANG P.A Entertainment Lawyer looks into the matter in more depth.
Overall, the issue seems to lie in an inability to marry stances on several core issues, which does not bode very well for future talks, either, unless some revised proposal can make new middle ground. So far, we know that funding sources for the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plan have become a sticking point, with employers wanting more worker funding and the union wishing to see greater share from streaming revenue and other sources.
There’s also a thorny issue in workplace safety measures. Union officials want to see greater controls issued over working hours, especially the notorious ‘Fraturday’ shifts, as well as greater regulation around rest periods and meal breaks. In fact, the quick response of employers to the escalated on-set safety needs during the pandemic may well have created a thorn for their side now, as it demonstrated how greater health and safety measures are perfectly possible to implement economically.
We’ve also seen that the union wants some of the concessions given to ‘new media’ to fall away, with the rather reasonable argument that these are no longer new at all, and have fast become driving forces in audience consumption. It has also been stated that “We know that a thriving industry can provide a living wage and affordable benefits for the workers that drive its profits.”
Overall, there’s a knotty negotiation ahead. As always, BLAKE & WANG P.A Entertainment Attorney will keep you updated on all developments.
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