IATSE Joins Hollywood Unions Supporting WGA As Contract Talks Enter Final Week

David Robb
·2 min read

IATSE has joined SAG-AFTRA and the DGA in support of the Writers Guild in its ongoing negotiations for a new film and TV contract.

On Saturday, SAG-AFTRA’s national board voted unanimously to “strongly” support the WGA, followed by the DGA on Monday. The WGA’s current contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers expires Monday at midnight PT.

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“IATSE supports the workers represented by the Writers Guild of America West and the Writers Guild of America East in their collective fight to win a fair contract,” IATSE president Matt Loeb said in a statement. “The motion picture and television industry thrives on the creativity, skill, and labor of every worker involved, and writers’ contributions are an important part of the success of the films, television shows, and other media IATSE members work on.

“We recognize and support our fellow entertainment workers in their mission to negotiate an agreement that addresses their issues from the AMPTP, an ensemble that includes media-mega corporations collectively worth trillions of dollars,” he added.

Loeb went on to say that “in response to the AMPTP’s familiar resistance, the writers have taken the step of voting in favor of strike authorization, arming Writers’ Guild leadership with the authority to call a strike if the ongoing talks do not produce necessary results. As their current agreement is set to expire on May 1, 2023, I call on the AMPTP to immediately acknowledge the contributions of these talented and dedicated professionals and negotiate with their unions in good faith. Should it become apparent a strike is imminent, we are prepared to inform our members of all relevant individual rights and obligations within the context of all existing IATSE-AMPTP agreements.”

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