IATSE Cares: The agreement is the outcome of unprecedented coordination and solidarity between the Directors Guild of America (DGA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and the Basic Crafts, and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). This group worked with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) for months to develop science-based protocols to minimize the risk of transmission, designed with the unique work environments of film and television production in mind.
2 comments:
I find union negotiations to be very fascinating. This article brought up a lot of questions for me regarding hypothetical situations that could arise such as what if Talent refuses to be tested and/or adhere to guidelines put in place? It was also a helpful article to recall and learn some of the common acronyms for film unions and organizations. The AMPTP was a new one for me. The ten Covid-19 sick days seems like a random number to me. It would be interesting to hear what made them decide on this number. I would also like to know more about what happens when someone gets seriously ill both in the case of a starring role, all the way down to an extra or an intern, especially if it can be traced back to an outbreak at the studio. If there is an outbreak at the studio, is the studio liable and eligible to be sued? If the studio is providing insurance, how much of Covid related medical bills will they cover? What happens if they aren’t covering the insurance? I am confident the unions have contingencies for all of the hypotheticals the pandemic has brought on, but I am curious to know what they are and how contracts will change moving forward.
-Ariel Bernhard
I think that the strength of unions can really be demonstrated by how the act during ground-breaking times in history and how IATSE along with other entertainment unions are getting people back to work right now is proceeding with as much caution as almost any other field I’ve seen. No doubt Film and Television certainly have some unique barriers to deal with but the plan in place seems through and backed by the most up to date science available. Personally I think going back to work right now I would be far more comfortable going back with the support and backing of being a union employee than going back as an individual. I think it is clear with the procedures in place along with sick leave that every effort is going into making sure people don’t get sick and there is support if sickness were to happen. I think that just having the support and resources of a larger organization to back you when re-entering the workforce at a dangerous time offers reassurance for the members of the union along with more certainty that these procedures and safety practices will be maintained because there is a bigger organization ensure it rather than individuals.
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