Why a Hollywood strike may shutter film and TV production

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, that union that represents thousands of behind-the-scenes film and television employees, voted overwhelmingly on Monday to authorize a strike for better working conditions and compensation. This sets the stage for even more intense negotiations with the group representing Hollywood studios, and if IATSE ends up proceeding with its work stoppage, Hollywood production could grind to a halt.

Among many sticking points, the labor union is demanding a new contract from the studios, networks, and streamers that will include more time off for workers between shifts, impose financial penalties if meal breaks aren’t provided, wage parity between streaming and traditional productions, safer working conditions, and better benefits. The studio organization, called the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, has made some counteroffers with concessions for new shows, a compromise on hours worked without breaks, and a modest pay bump for streaming productions, but that hasn’t moved the needle for most of the 60,000-strong members affected by the contract.

For a better understanding of this unprecedented move by IATSE, we’ve broken down the major issues and circumstances that led to the disagreements, and what could happen if no agreement is reached.

Who’s involved?

On one side, there’s IATSE, which was founded in 1893 and represents about 150,000 crew members and other behind-the-scenes workers in live theater, film, television, trade shows, and other productions. On the other side, there’s AMPTP, which represents the studios, networks, and streaming companies.

In this instance, about 60,000 members of IATSE in 36 local unions are seeking a new contract after the recent expiration of three contracts that covered workers on most film and television productions. These affected members — including camera operators, editors, and makeup and effects artists — were asked to vote to approve the strike authorization over a three-day period beginning Oct. 1. With 90% of the eligible voters taking part, the members approved the action by 98%. (Workers on Broadway productions, as well as those by HBO, Showtime, Starz, and BET, are under a separate agreement and therefore weren’t included here.)

“The members have spoken loud and clear,” Matthew Loeb, IATSE’s president, said in a statement. “This vote is about the quality of life as well as the health and safety of those who work in the film and television industry. Our people have basic human needs like time for meal breaks, adequate sleep, and a weekend. For those at the bottom of the pay scale, they deserve nothing less than a living wage.”

AMPTP spokesperson Jarryd Gonzales countered: “The AMPTP remains committed to reaching an agreement that will keep the industry working. 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.”

A large number of celebrities and politicians have come out in support of IATSE, including Seth Rogen, Jane Fonda, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Danny DeVito, Sarah Paulson, and Ben Stiller.

What are the main issues?

IATSE has said that AMPTP hasn’t satisfactorily addressed the following points:

Excessively unsafe and harmful working hours.
Unlivable wages for the lowest paid crafts.
Consistent failure to provide reasonable rest during meal breaks, between workdays, and on weekends.
Workers on certain “new media” streaming projects get paid less, even on productions with budgets that rival or exceed those of traditionally released blockbusters.

In regards to workdays, IATSE wants its members to get 10 hours off between shifts and a 54-hour break on weekends, eliminating what’s known as “Fraturdays” — Friday productions that spill over well into Saturday morning. This is in response to many members saying they’re not given sufficient time off to spend with family, attend to personal issues, and recuperate from what can be grueling labor, among other grievances. AMPTP has offered more rest for workers on shows in their first season and a select slate of jobs, but would rather keep Fraturdays and have shoots where workers forego breaks in return for shorter hours.

Another demand is for penalties when a production doesn’t offer a break for meals. After many workers have complained that they’re only able to eat while working, the union proposed an increasing set of fines: $8.50 for the first 30 minutes without a meal break, $11 for the second half-hour, then $13.50 for each subsequent 30-minute period. AMPTP is against this, claiming that many workers would simply choose not to take a break in favor of getting more money.

Wages are a huge issue, as there are a number of positions — writers room assistant, art department and script coordinators, for example — that have hourly rates under $18, with some workers claiming they’ve had to sell blood and breast milk to make ends meet. There’s also the issue of streaming contracts. Thanks to a 2009 agreement, platforms with fewer than 20 million subscribers, such as Apple TV+, can pay lower rates than traditional film and TV studios. The union also wants streamers to pay more in residuals, in an effort to boost workers’ healthcare and other benefit plans. The counteroffer from AMPTP is an 18% raise in streaming wages, which would still put these salaries below traditional productions, and a 10% to 19% increase for the lowest-paying jobs in film and TV.

What’s next?

Now that the strike is authorized, IATSE and AMPTP will return to the bargaining table, with negotiations expected to last at least three weeks. If a deal fails to materialize, the workers will then go on strike, shutting down production on most movies and television shows, including talk and reality programming. It would be the largest Hollywood work stoppage since 1945, when 12,000 workers walked off their jobs in a dispute between unions that involved studios and the mafia.