The largest private-sector strike in a decade could shut down Hollywood – By Laura Clawson (Daily Kos) / Oct 5 2021
Behind-the-scenes crew members in the television and film industries showed that they’re united in demanding a better deal from the major studios, voting overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. Just under 90% of the 60,000 IATSE members who would be affected by a strike voted—and of those who voted, 98% voted yes. That’s about as strong a statement of intent as you will find. And it looks like the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers got the message because on Monday, after the strike vote was announced, it agreed to go back to the bargaining table after refusing to negotiate for the 11 days before the strike vote.
“The members have spoken loud and clear,” IATSE President Matthew Loeb said in a statement on Monday. “This vote is about the quality of life as well as the health and safety of those who work in the film and television industry. Our people have basic human needs like time for meal breaks, adequate sleep, and a weekend. For those at the bottom of the pay scale, they deserve nothing less than a living wage.”
Last week, as the authorization vote loomed, 120 members of Congress, led by Rep. Adam Schiff and Sen. Alex Padilla, wrote a letter urging the AMPTP to negotiate and come to a fair agreement.
Noting the workers’ sacrifice during the COVID-19 pandemic and their “essential role” in helping the industry survive, the lawmakers wrote, “The key issues in this negotiation, as we’ve come to understand them, are about worker dignity and basic human necessities. We are united in our belief in the importance of livable wages, sustainable benefits, and reasonable rest periods between shifts and during the workday.”
