To Ratify or Not to Ratify:What exactly is in the Basic Agreement between IATSE and AMPTP
The Costume Designers Guild Standing With The IATSE
In an industry centered around performance on screen, are we surprised that a “landmark” negotiation agreement is actually just performative? In the first two installments of this series, we were introduced to the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and its corrupt malpractices for over 100 years, leading it’s members to vote in favor of a national strike for the first time in history. Coincidentally, just hours before the strike, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and IATSE came to a tentative agreement based on a serious list of demands from union members. It isn’t easy to find exactly what was agreed upon at the negotiations table as IATSE is keeping details under wraps, but it is easy to see that the members are split on this decision, and rightfully so.
Let's break down a few of the agreement aspects, focusing on specific demands.
First, the demand for shorter working hours was met instead with an “increase” in rest hours. Major headlines read that members received “10 hour rest periods” in these new negotiations, but what the headlines fail to mention is that for several productions, this was already the standard, and even simple math will tell you this means workers are still susceptible to 14 hour work days.
In the summary of the basic agreement the section on turnaround time says this:
10 hours minimum turnaround provided for all productions that have established terms and conditions, including pilots and first year of a series.
9 hours minimum turnaround provided for Distant Hires, an increase of one hour.
The penalty for invasion of the expanded rest period will be additional straight time earnings. Current penalties remain unchanged, thus preserving the all-day gold where applicable for invasion of existing rest periods.
The daily turnaround provisions does not apply to on-call employees, facility lot “changeover crews” not assigned to a production, Studio Publicity not assigned to a production, Screen Story Analysts and Laboratory Film/Video Technicians and Cinetechnicians.
The 10-hour daily rest shall apply to Script Coordinators and Writers’ Room Assistants if they have worked at least 12 hours. Invasion of the penalty shall be paid at time and a half.
The basic agreement (BA) summary makes no mention of increased safety regulations, shorter work days, or residuals from streaming service productions.
A headline that was sure to grab attention is the fact that this BA included an intentional effort to maintain diversity, equity, and inclusion on sets. But what does this mean? According to the summary, this looks like including Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday. In fact, it’s the first thing mentioned under this section.
Taken Directly From The Summary of Basic Agreement Negotiations 2021
Notice, this holiday actually replaces a previously paid holiday for a number of union members.
If you continue to read through the DEI initiative section, you’ll see much of the same performative words and practices. Promises of committees, and an increased investment in career tracks for interns, without once specifying whether these interns belong to historically underrepresented minorities in the film industry.
The agreement did include wage increases, on par with the 3% increase negotiated into every agreement for the past 30 years. As well as a $10/hour increase in wages for the lowest paid workers. This increase is set to happen incrementally over the next 3 years.
After just a little digging, there is no wonder why the vote to ratify this agreement is so split. In fact, several members took to social media urging their peers to vote NO.
Halyna Hutchins
To complicate matters, less than two weeks after the tentative agreement was reached between IATSE leadership and AMPTP, Halyna Hutchins, a member of IATSE, died on set from a gunshot wound due to safety malpractices. In the days surrounding the accidental shooting, several crew members walked off the set due to unsafe, and toxic working conditions. This tragedy happened during one of the more tumultuous times in the union's history with only 24 days until a vote on what many deemed a “landmark agreement.”
The ratification vote took place between November 12th-14th of this year, and yet again, the members accomplished something historic. The majority of members voted NOT to ratify, and insisted negotiations start up again. However, due to the delegate system set in place (details of which aren't published) the BA was ratified. For the first time in almost 40 years, a contract was ratified despite the majority opinion.
While many believe that this contract is full of missed opportunity, it is worth noting that for many, the incremental increases are enough for now. At least enough to keep going, and decidedly better than the alternative of a strike.
If anything, this year is yet another example of how change comes slow, despite how loud we yell.