Behind-the-scenes crews in film and TV approve new labor contract with studios

Turnout was historically high, according to IATSE. About half the total members covered by the Area Standards Agreement voted, and about 70% of the members covered by the Basic Agreement voted.

The two contracts go into effect Aug. 1, and expire in July 2027. It’s possible Georgia will see an increase in production over the next several months, as the possibility of an IATSE strike held off a number of projects from starting principal photography.

Between the first and second quarters of this year, production of scripted film and TV has increased 40%, according to data from global production tracker ProdPro.

IATSE began negotiating the Area Standards Agreement in May, about six months after both the unions representing writers and actors reached tentative deals with the AMPTP and ended their respective strikes. Wage increases, improved safety provisions and protections against the use of AI were key priorities during negotiations.

The new contracts include wage increases of 7% for members in the first year of the contract, followed by 4% and 3.5% in subsequent years. If a production goes beyond 15 hours, pay triples. The living allowance for nearby hires, per diems and employers’ health and pension fund contributions will also increase each contract year.

As for safety provisions, sick leave has increased from six days to 10, and employees can access their sick leave much sooner. New language is added to address firearm safety and working in extreme heat and cold temperatures. The Area Standards Agreement also states that an employee will receive a minimum of one day off, or receive an additional hour of regular pay for all hours worked until a rest period is permitted, after 14 consecutive days worked.

On the AI front: an employer has the right to use new technologies like AI in production, but it cannot require an employee to provide prompts that result in the displacement of a covered employee. Requests to scan employees must be presented in a signed statement, and consent for scanning cannot be required as a condition of employment.

One Georgia-specific provision was added to the Area Standards Agreement: from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, a qualified safety officer will be present on the set of one feature-length dramatic production per major studio. The safety officer will create a risk assessment for each production they oversee. This is an expansion of a pilot set safety program that is set to start in California in 2025.

Two contracts still hang in the balance for the industry — the AMPTP’s agreement with the Teamsters and Hollywood Basic Crafts, which expires on July 31, and the Animation Guild, which expires on August 16.