The IATSE union has reached a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios on a new deal that will avert another prolonged entertainment industry strike.
The crew members’ union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) announced the three-year deal late Tuesday night. It will cover about 50,000 workers on Netflix, Disney, Amazon and other studios’ productions.
Their current contract is set to expire in July. It’s unknown when members will vote whether or not to ratify the deal.
If approved, crew will receive pay raises, pension and health plan increases, new safety rules, residuals and other benefits, and new protections against the use of AI.
Last week, hundreds of members of both guilds released a public letter calling for the studios to offer IATSE a fair contract.
“These crew members dedicate their lives to their artistry and to their departments — working long hours in often challenging conditions to bring stories to life,” read the letter, which was signed by stars such as Mark Ruffalo and Seth Rogen. “Being able to do their jobs safely and compensated fairly is essential for our membership to be able to do our jobs. Nothing moves without the crew.”
Hollywood was brought to a screeching halt last year when the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors’ Guild both went on strike. New contracts were agreed upon after several months, but the stoppage upended the industry.
Studios have reportedly cut back spending on new projects in response to the concessions won by the unions in those strikes.
