Film and TV crew members have ratified a new three-year contract with the entertainment companies after a relatively smooth bargaining period on the heels of two major Hollywood strikes.
Members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees approved the new Hollywood Basic Agreement this week by a ratification vote of 85.9% to 14.1%, with a “historically high” turnout, according to the union.
The basic agreement covers some 50,000 below-the-line workers primarily based in Los Angeles, including cinematographers, costume designers, production designers, set decorators, editors and lighting technicians. Union members also ratified the Area Standards Agreement, which covers 20,000 tradespeople working in other production hubs across the United States.
The new contracts will go into effect Aug. 1.
“IATSE’s rank-and-file members have spoken, and their will is clear,” Matthew D. Loeb, international president of IATSE, said in a statement.
The union cited “significant wage increases in addition to several craft-specific adjustments, bolstered health/pension benefits with new funding mechanisms, improved safety provisions, critical protections preventing misuse of artificial intelligence from displacing IATSE members, and more. The gains secured in these contracts mark a significant step forward for America’s film and TV industry and its workers. This result shows our members agree, and now we must build on what these negotiations achieved.”
The results of the vote were posted nearly a month after IATSE reached a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which negotiates on behalf of studios and streamers such as Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount and Netflix.
The 71-page basic agreement contains wage increases, funding for the union’s pension and health plans, streaming residuals, overtime pay and regulations around artificial intelligence.
“The AMPTP member companies congratulate IATSE on ratifying these landmark deals, which received overwhelming support from its members,” the AMPTP said in a statement.
“From the first day of negotiations, IATSE leadership demonstrated a clear commitment to a fair and collaborative process, which resulted in agreements that contain historic gains and protections, reflect the immense value that IATSE members bring to production, and ensure our industry will continue to deliver well-paid jobs and exciting content for years to come.”
Members of the Hollywood Basic Crafts — a coalition of labor unions advocating for drivers, electricians, location managers, plumbers, mechanics, cement masons and other industry tradespeople — are still in contract talks with the AMPTP. Their agreements expire July 31.
Last week, Hollywood Basic Crafts spokesperson Amy Gorton said the unions and the studios remained “far apart” on key issues heading into their final scheduled round of negotiations.
“We have been extremely clear on the reasonableness of what we have brought to the table. Many of our proposals would cost the employers very little, and in some cases no money, but would be huge wins for our members,” Gorton said in a statement.
“July 19th is the last scheduled day for our negotiations. … We have informed the Studios that while we can look to schedule more dates after the 19th, we will not be extending our agreements past the expiration date of July 31st.”