A pivotal vote today will determine whether or not Hollywood grinds to a halt.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the union whose members handle almost every movie and television job that doesn’t involve acting, will decide whether or not to go on strike.
IATSE’s beef is with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers as the two groups attempt to negotiate a new three-year contract for services.
The fight is over better pay and less grueling schedules, according to a letter written by IATSE president Matthew Loeb which said they’re looking for “more humane working conditions across the industry, including reasonable rest during and between workdays and on the weekend, equitable pay on streaming productions, and a livable wage floor.”
Under the current contract, streaming services are allowed to pay lower wages if their subscriber base is below 20 million. That deal was signed in 2009 when streaming services were still in the early stages of providing original content.
The union is also looking to limit the long hours on set that test the limits of workers’ stamina and strain relationships.
"How am I supposed to have a family while working 12+ hours a day (even longer when you add commuting)?" set dresser Kirsten Thorson wrote on Instagram. "I love my job in the film industry but the industry doesn't love me back."
The folks behind the camera are getting support from the ones in front of it, with a number of actors firing off tweets backing the workers who make their celebrity possible.
If the strike happens, it would affect big-budget movies, network television, and original content on streaming services like Netflix.
However, pay-television channels operate on a separate contract, as do commercials. Those would remain in production.
It would also be the first workers’ strike in IATSE’s history.
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