IATSE & Teamsters Wrap First Day Of Negotiations With Studios; Joint Talks Focus On “More Security” For Below-The-Line Workers

The curtain is closed on Day 1 of talks between Hollywood’s below-the-line workers and the studios.

IATSE, along with Teamsters Local 399 and the rest of the Hollywood Basic Crafts, sat down at the negotiating table on Monday to begin drafting the 2024 film and TV contracts.

Deadline understands that the conversation, which began around 2 p.m. PT, only lasted a few hours.

The unions presented their initial proposals to the AMPTP, and the studios have yet to return a counteroffer, according to sources.

The plan for the rest of the week will be determined based on how quickly the AMPTP brings their own proposal to the table, though discussions on the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans are expected to continue at least through this week and likely through next week as well.

Depending on the when the studios return with a counterproposal, IATSE may carry on with its own contract discussions in tandem with this joint MPI negotiation.

In a joint social media post on Monday evening, IATSE and Local 399 shared some details from the day’s negotiations.

“Our folks understand the business they’re in, the sacrifices and precarious nature of employment, and they work within that environment anyway,” IATSE International President Matthew Loeb said in his opening remarks, according to the post. “But there’s no reason these companies can’t build in more protection, reliability, and predictability that creates more security.”

All current contracts expire on July 31. IATSE has already made it clear that it is not interested in extending its agreements. This is expected to be a months-long negotiation process. Deadline previously broke down the timeline for the agreements and what to expect over the next few months.