International Alliance backs Hollywood Writers Guild strike
Support pours in for the WGA, as the IATSE joins the DGA to back up the writers union.
The president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) has issued a statement of support in backing the Writers Guild of America’s potential strike. The announcement comes just days after the Directors Guild of America also demonstrated public support for the writers.
The IATSE is a union for various theater groups, including Moving Picture Technicians and Artists, and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories, and Canada. The labor union has more than 168,000 technicians, artists, and craftspersons in the entertainment business.
Its scope covers live events, motion pictures, television, and broadcast in the United States and Canada.
What happened with the WGA?
The writers voted almost unanimously to go on strike if negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) don’t favor them.
The union has pointed out that since streaming platforms have begun dominating the way audiences consume entertainment, the way they are compensated for their work should be adjusted appropriately — people are less likely to go to the movies or view broadcast television when there are so many streaming options available.
What did the IATSE president say?
Matthew D. Loeb, International President of the IATSE, released a statement on Tuesday to outline their reasons for backing the Hollywood writers union.
“IATSE supports the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) in their collective fight to win a fair contract from Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on behalf of the talented workers they represent,” Loeb’s statement reads. “The motion picture and television industry thrive 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,” the statement continues.
“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 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,” Loeb concludes.