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EXCLUSIVE: Members of the Hollywood guilds are throwing their weight behind IATSE and the Basic Crafts as the below-the-line unions continue to chip away at new three-year deals with the studios.
Deadline has obtained a letter of solidarity signed by nearly 400 members across the WGA, PGA, DGA and SAG-AFTRA. Signatories include Alan Ritchson, Amy Schumer, Lily Waschowski, Boots Riley, Connie Britton, Chelsea Handler, Mark Ruffalo, Lamorne Morris, Gina Prince Bythwood, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Charlie Kaufman, Kerry Washington, Quinta Brunson, Natasha Lyonne, Ryan Coogler, Will Forte, and Sarah Polley.
The letter, addressed directly to the Alliance of Motion Picture Television Producers, urges the Carol Lombardini-led group to give the unions “a fair contract that acknowledges their essential contributions to production and allows these behind-the-scenes artists, artisans, and craftspeople to live and retire with dignity.”
“We support their requests for protectionists from emerging tech and AI, wage increases commensurate with cost of living increases, increased residuals and diversified contributions to their health and pension funds,” the letter continues. “These crewmembers dedicate their lives to their artistry and to their departments – working long hours in often challenging conditions to bring stories to life. Being able to do their jobs safely and compensated fairly is essential for our membership to be able to do our jobs. ‘Nothing moves without the crew.'”
The letter, which Deadline understands was conceived and circulated by a mutual aid group formed during last year’s strikes called The Union Solidarity Committee, also acknowledges the “sacrifices” that below-the-line crew made during the work stoppages, insisting that the signatories “will never forget” those contributions.
“We commit to stand alongside them throughout the entirety of their fight and are prepared to take action and elevate their issues throughout the process in their pursuit of a fair deal prior to their contract expiration on July 31st of this year,” the letter concludes.
A letter from some of Hollywood’s top brass may be the extra bit of muscle needed as the Teamsters are nearing the end of a second week of negotiations with the AMPTP, before IATSE will head back to the table Monday for four additional days of bargaining after its own talks stalled earlier this month.
In a statement to Deadline, an IATSE spokesperson said: “We welcome this show of support from Writers, Actors, and Directors at this important moment in the film and TV industry. Despite the film/TV industry contraction harming workers globally and the threat AI poses to all those in creative jobs, this letter shows the workers of Hollywood remain united in achieving fair agreements that safeguard the future of work in this business.”
Deadline understands that the major sticking points for IATSE are wage increases as well as pension contributions, which have been severely impacted by the lack of work for below-the-line folks in recent years due to both the coronavirus pandemic as well as the strikes. Teamsters are seeking similar contract provisions, though it’s not clear how much progress they’ve made thus far.
As the letter mentions, all current contracts expire on July 31. Both IATSE and the Teamsters have already expressed they are uninterested in extending their contracts past this date to accommodate further negotiations.
As we head into the last week of June, anxieties about a potential strike are growing, though there is still time for all the unions to make deals. So far, none of the unions have called for a strike authorization vote, which is necessary before they think about walking any picket lines.
