www.hollywoodreporter.com: During the telecast for the 2024 Oscars ceremony, host Jimmy Kimmel, in his opening monologue, addressed the current IATSE contract negotiations and the possibility of an impending strike, telling below-the-line workers: “Know that in your upcoming negotiations we will stand with you.”
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The importance of unions in our industry cannot be overstated. The unions protect workers across all aspects of live entertainment from being taken advantage of by big companies. They protect our pay, maximum hours, work-life balance, working conditions, safety protocols, and more. Without them, it would be even more difficult to survive in an industry in which it is already incredibly tough to make a living. However, the recent push by large production companies to weaken the unions or force them to accept deals that are not as good for their members is threatening this. By standing up and publicly saying at the Oscars that the big name stars will stand with the crew’s unions, Jimmy Kimmel sent the very important message that unions will continue to stand strong in this industry. It was heartening to see this message of support at a time when uncertainty with the unions is so high.
This moment during the Oscars was extremely powerful and was something that meant a lot to me as a viewer that has worked backstage. Jimmy Kimmel introducing the backstage crew was something that was so special and meaningful. Seeing all of those hard workers in their black clothes stepping into the spotlight, being acknowledged, being appreciated, was extremely impactful. It's not often that audiences see those folks working behind the scenes and it's even less common to see those people taking a bow on the stage of the Oscars. I really appreciated this statement being made by Kimmel and the impact that has. Understanding that I actually contract negotiations and possibility of strike is an issue that many may not think is affecting their work, but these are the people that are the reason why their projects come to fruition.
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