Friday, October 15, 2021
Hollywood Faces Major Strike Monday Unless Deal Is Reached
www.forbes.com: The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) will go on strike Monday unless it strikes a deal with Hollywood producers, the union announced Wednesday, which could shut down most film and television production nationwide as 60,000 crew members and behind-the-scenes workers would walk off the job.
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7 comments:
It’s long overdue for a major shift in how film and TV treats its production workers, and they’re willing to fight for it. As theatre professionals I’m sure we’ve all been keeping a close eye on how this strike is going, and in this rapidly changing industry of entertainment, the results of these dealings will affect us all long into the future. We might not all go into film or television, but this sets a precedent for how technical workers like us will be treated in our future jobs. I am very grateful for all the wonderful and talented people of the union for putting their careers on the line to fight for the future of this industry, their colleagues, and themselves. If it goes on, and it’s looking like it will, this will be one of the largest strikes in American history. That’s the power that our industry has and this highlights how important union representation is. The AMPTP can’t get away with egregious labor abuses forever, and IATSE has drawn that line in the sand. Solidarity forever.
It is extremely unfortunate that IATSE has had to go this far to simply get proper treatment for all of their union members. It is ridiculous that the film producers and the AMPTP. It really shows that their only priorities are to make as much money as they can without any care for their workers. In reading about this issue over the course of the past few weeks, I have been seeing just how horrible these IATSE workers have it. They are all working 17 hour workdays with low pay, little break time, poor conditions, no time to sleep in between shifts, etc. Even as someone who has experienced a lot of overworking in the theatre industry, I did not actually realize that it was this bad before this started getting national attention. On one hand, I am glad this is getting the recognition it deserves. I would have never seen an article about IATSE workers in Forbes without something of this scale happening. I am glad they are finally realizing that no entertainment would be created without the work of the entertainment workers.
I’ve been following the progression of this possible strike for quite some time now, and to hear that it is finally coming to fruition is incredible! I am a huge supporter of Unions and workers rights in any field of work, but for a long time its felt as if IATSE has been walked all over by the film industry. It is about time that production and beheaded the scenes crewmembers get the proper treatment, hours, and wages they deserve, which is why I am overjoyed that IATSE is stepping up. This is especially important news for me, because I have wanted to work as an on set film tailor for quite some time now, but with ridiculous working times and hours I was often pushed away from considering it as a possible job for me. The film industry has also rapidly changed so much in the last couple years with new steaming services like Netflix and Amazon dominating the market, which means more jobs for crew members but has also resulted in poorer working conditions. I am hopeful that there will be a shift for better working conditions for all crewmembers thanks to this massive strike that as of right now is looking like it could be one of the largest strikes in American History.
It is greatly encouraging that the movement towards an IATSE strike has kept up momentum and that there has been constant coverage, every step of the way. Just to reiterate and make it very clear--those below the line, crew members, unseen people whose work is seen deserve working conditions that allow them to live. Not falling asleep while driving, working 17-hour days and being unable to take time off--these are death-inducing working conditions. This article lays down the basic timeline of what’s happened: Ongoing negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have gone nowhere, the IATSE strike was authorized with 98% of members who voted voting in favour of a walkout, and the simple fact that according to IATSE President Matthew Loeb, negotiations with AMPTP will continue to go nowhere without an impetus. Should IATSE go on strike, this will be the first Hollywood crew strike since World War II and rank among the biggest in the industry’s history--it’s time for change.
Well, the deadline sure seems to be fast approaching for Hollywood Execs to make their concessions. The fact that the IATSE president noted that "the pace of the bargaining does not reflect the urgency of the situation" is still telling though. It seems to me like AMPTP really still isn't taking it as seriously as they should be, though I suppose we'll figure that out by Monday, won't we? Regardless, hopefully this will still be a win for the lower-tier workers, the crew and production members who are actually meant to benefit from this. It's long overdue to see film and tv crew members receive proper compensation and hours for their work, and it's great to see that proper action is so close to happening to make that a reality.
I think that this is a really interesting thing to see as a student just starting out in learning about this field. I think in high school, the general warning I heard when I first told people about the career I wanted to pursue, was that crew members will be exploited, underpaid, and get little credit. ALthough these things were told to me, those people never seemed surprised or outraged about it. It seemed to be something that is generally accepted and as the “norm”. However, I am glad that things are being addressed and changing. I think unions are so important because often in industries such as these, crew members are often seen as replaceable, that if we do not comply with inhumane conditions, then we can be easily replaced and the job will be given to the next willing person. Especially from where I am from, TV and film are notorious for mistreating their crew. Many of the people I went to school with grew up with parents who were often not home, because their parents were forced to work on sets far from home or insanely late hours. Crew members deserve a healthy, normal personal life as well. The idea of “chasing the dream” at any cost should not be the norm. I am glad this strike is happening and these problems are being addressed.
According to IATSE, the strike starts tomorrow, which is really exciting. I feel like we, as a generation, have spent a lot of time witnessing history unfolding. While I’m not excited to see the hardship that a strike will incur on the workers (losing wages, stress, etc.) I am excited to see IATSE stand up for itself in a really strong way. What struck me about the strike for this article was the wording from AMPTP, specifically their emphasis on “keeping the industry working” over creating a deal that was MUTUALLY beneficial. This feels like a classic struggle between the worker and unsympathetic corporations. This was also evident to me when I saw news that the AMPTP companies were trying to get students to scab during the strike. The exploitation of backstage workers is so pervasive that companies are willing to ask students to work against their future wellbeing. It furthers the idea that job security (getting in good with a company during a strike) is worth more than even your health. Choosing between wellbeing and a job shouldn’t be as common in entertainment as it is, and hopefully a strike makes AMPTP start realizing that.
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