After the union that represents Hollywood crews finally reached an agreement on a new contract last week, the President of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Matthew Loeb, announced it was “an end to Hollywood” and a sign that ” our members stand firm ”.
The tentative three-year contract on behalf of 40,000 IATSE film and television workers prevented a devastating nationwide strike, the first in the union’s 128-year history.
“This is the best deal since 1996,” said cameraman and former Local 600 President Steven Poster, referring to the merger of the cameramen. “We got everything we asked for.”
However, other union members were less enthusiastic and even accused their leaders of capitulating to the powerful Hollywood studios.
An Instagram page that became a forum for the occupations’ struggles over the summer and helped instill support for a historic vote on strike clearance was flooded with complaints among frustrated workers when the deal was announced last Saturday was given.
“You patted yourself on the back without speaking to us,” said Kathleen McAuley, a Los Angeles-based film and television editor for Local 700, who wants to vote against the contract. “We only held one huge hand. And basically we just folded. ”
The vastly different viewpoints provide an insight into the changing dynamics within the union represented by cameramen, makeup artists, set designers, cutters, handles and others who work “under the line” in Hollywood.
Crew members and labor experts say the rifts reflect a growing gap between younger activist workers who are not afraid to post their demands on social media and seasoned union leaders who have traditionally avoided confrontations with studios – and who have kept dissidents at bay.
“What we see now is a split between union leadership and ordinary members,” said Steve Ross, a history professor at the University of Southern California who specializes in trade unions in Hollywood. “From a leadership perspective, they seem to have a good deal here. … But for the workers … the people are exhausted. What they are saying is that it is no longer just about money. “
This week the IATSE expanded details of the proposed contract and held meetings with members to answer questions and explain the highlights.
To be ratified, the agreement has to be approved by a majority. Although it is unclear how many will vote against the contract in the coming weeks – the union has not announced the start of voting – IATSE leaders are confident that the agreement will be ratified.
“The goals we have been pursuing for decades have been achieved in these negotiations,” Loeb said in an email to the Times. “At the moment the documents are being drawn up between the union and the employer, so an early decision is a mistake. Read it, discuss it with your management and your colleagues and have your questions answered. ”
Loeb didn’t respond to criticism of how the contract was communicated to members, but he said he wasn’t surprised by some backlash.
“Our members are active and that is what gives us power,” he said. “Your terms of employment had to be addressed and it is solidarity that drives our ability to do so.”
The proposed contract includes: annual wage increases of 3% (some of the worst paid members are increased by up to 60%); Improve conditions and payment for streaming productions by up to 30%; and observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. It guarantees 10 hours of rest between daily filming and, for the first time, 54 hours on weekends, which studios generally regard as a major concession. In addition, it increases penalties for companies that do not offer meal breaks.
Despite the gains, some members said the proposed contract did not go far enough to reduce long hours, strengthen the union’s health and retirement plans and raise wages. For example, some critics point out that the 3% wage increases, while in line with other unions, are below the 5.4% inflation rate.
James Duhon, a cameraman from Dallas, Texas, wants to vote against the contract. While the guaranteed weekend rest is welcome, he said the plan leaves the possibility of 74-hour weeks open.
“Do we really want that? Nope. Hard pass. For the African American community, too, Juneteenth is still not on the table for days off, and MLK’s final recognition in 2021 is annoying, ”said Duhon, who is Black.
LA-based makeup artist Cici Andersen shares concerns over 14-hour days and also plans to vote against the deal. “People want a cap on how long they can work in a day so you can just shower and do laundry,” said Andersen.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also fueled some of the tensions within the union as producers pushed crews to their limits to make up for lost time during the shutdowns.
The health crisis has also increased concerns about the state of their health services. The Film and Television Producers Alliance agreed to cover a deficit of nearly $ 400 million in health and retirement plans, but refused to increase the remaining payments to fund the plans, a sore point for some members.
McAuley, the film editor, said she was concerned that the sickness and retirement plans were only secured for the term of the contract.
“I didn’t join the union to worry every three years about how our health care is being funded,” said McAuley.
Loeb defended the deal, saying “quality of life issues” were high on the union’s priority list.
“For the first time in the USA, the protection conditions we negotiated set a defined weekend with the studios,” said Loeb. “They have severe penalties for failing to provide meals and breaks. The improvements are very significant. “
Loeb added that the union’s negotiating committee “concluded that fighting over the arrears was likely to result in a protracted argument. We financed the benefit plans with no benefit cuts and no additional costs for the members. “
It was perhaps inevitable that some union members would be disappointed with the deal. To get a vote on strike clearance, the IATSE spent weeks mobilizing members for a possible strike, a campaign that started at the grassroots level and which may have raised expectations that union leaders have failed to meet.
“Right now is a very special moment in the history of the union where people are paying more attention than ever,” said Andersen. “This is an opportunity for leaders to learn from younger people with leadership skills as we have seen and admired them.”
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