IATSE Approves New 3-Year Deal with AMPTP

GT

Hollywood can breathe a sigh of relief. The IATSE has officially entered into a new three-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, after members ratified the latest film and television contracts by a comfortable margin.

Despite some concerns throughout the voting process that the AI ​​provisions might be a barrier for some members, the basic agreement received 85.9% approval, while the region standards agreement was approved by 87.2%.

The contracts will come into effect on August 1. The union says voter turnout was “historically high” with a majority of members taking part.

“IATSE rank-and-file members have spoken, and their will is clear. Between significant wage increases and numerous trade-specific adjustments, enhanced health care/pension benefits with new funding mechanisms, improved safety provisions, critical protections to prevent AI abuse from displacing IATSE members, and more,” said Matt Loeb, IATSE International President, in a statement. “The gains secured in these contracts represent a significant step forward for the American film and television industry and its workers. This outcome shows that our members agree, and now we must build on what these negotiations have achieved.”

Information about the new deal was first shared with local IATSE representatives before the international leadership sent out a wide-ranging press release Thursday morning. The new deals cover approximately 50,000 film and television workers at IATSE’s 13 local studios on the West Coast, plus another 20,000 at 23 local studios across the United States.

In a statement, AMPTP said: “AMPTP member companies congratulate IATSE on ratifying these historic deals, which have received overwhelming support from our members. From day one of negotiations, IATSE leadership has demonstrated a clear commitment to a fair and collaborative process, resulting in agreements that contain historic gains and protections, reflect the tremendous value IATSE members bring to production, and ensure that our industry continues to provide good-paying jobs and exciting content for years to come.”

Truckers and other major Hollywood unions remain in negotiations with the Teamsters Association, hoping to finalize their own deals before current contracts expire on July 31. Friday marks the final day of negotiations scheduled for the unions, which said they are willing to schedule more days to talk but will not go beyond the looming end-of-month deadline.

The issue of higher wages has emerged as a major sticking point for the Teamsters union, just as it has for the American Trucking Association. Earlier this week, the two sides were so far apart that national union leaders were called in to help move things along, Deadline has learned.

If the ITF’s negotiating cycle is any indication, the main trades unions still have a path to a deal, even as the days are dwindling. The Truck Drivers’ Union alone is one of the most powerful in the country, with more than 1.3 million members. The Motion Picture Division, the unit currently in talks, represents about 15,000 members nationwide.