IATSE Strike Discussion Thread | Deal ratified

[grim22]

17 minutes ago, Plain Old Tele said:

Good piece by The Atlantic here: https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/10/iatse-strike-hollywood-labor-conditions/620350/

 

Also, we received an update that both sides are continuing to negotiate (and will tomorrow as well) but haven’t made much progress. There was also a hint that the strike may happen sooner rather than later if progress isn’t made. 

There are some whistleblowers on Reddit who are saying that the studios and AMPTP don't seem to be taking the negotiations seriously at all and a strike feels inevitable at this point. 

 

Feels like the studio heads aren't grasping the damage possible - makes sense when you realize that most heads right now don't even come from a movie background and don't remember the 2007 WGA strike.

[Plain Old Tele]

24 minutes ago, grim22 said:

There are some whistleblowers on Reddit who are saying that the studios and AMPTP don't seem to be taking the negotiations seriously at all and a strike feels inevitable at this point. 

Is there a sense of who these whistleblower folks are? Cuz IATSE is relatively buttoned tight and I can’t imagine AMPTP being less so. 

Edited October 9, 2021 by Plain Old Tele

[keysersoze123]

@Plain Old Tele at this point what is your feel. Is it even chance that they make an agreement and avert the strike or is it inevitable. 

[Plain Old Tele]

6 minutes ago, keysersoze123 said:

@Plain Old Tele at this point what is your feel. Is it even chance that they make an agreement and avert the strike or is it inevitable. 

I’m a peon with absolutely no insight into the inner workings of things. The fact that both sides returned to negotiating is good, but it doesn’t sound like much progress has been made… which probably pushes us closer to a strike. Then again it’s possible a lot of progress happens quickly, if decent proposals are made. 

[SchumacherFTW]

On 10/9/2021 at 3:16 AM, Porthos said:

 

Gotta make sure that NWH isn't put into crunch mode and dragged over the finish line while talks are still ongoing. 

That's actually a good point, behind the scenes is there a type of crunch culture at work on movies? 

[keysersoze123]

So strike could start this week if no progress is made?

 

https://deadline.com/2021/10/fifth-day-of-do-or-die-iatse-contract-talks-end-for-the-day-will-resume-monday-1234853391/

 

There are some comments from IATSE members about current situation in above article. 

[Plain Old Tele]

4 minutes ago, keysersoze123 said:

So strike could start this week if no progress is made?

 

https://deadline.com/2021/10/fifth-day-of-do-or-die-iatse-contract-talks-end-for-the-day-will-resume-monday-1234853391/

 

There are some comments from IATSE members about current situation in above article. 

Nobody knows anything yet. We’ve been told that if things stall out, the strike would happen “within days, not months” but the definition of “stalling out” is debatable. 

[Plain Old Tele]

7 hours ago, SchumacherFTW said:

That's actually a good point, behind the scenes is there a type of crunch culture at work on movies? 

Oh lord yes. Stories abound about working 12-16 hour days for 20 straight days, then one day off (to avoid labor law issues), then another 20 days, etc. 

[SchumacherFTW]

55 minutes ago, Plain Old Tele said:

Oh lord yes. Stories abound about working 12-16 hour days for 20 straight days, then one day off (to avoid labor law issues), then another 20 days, etc. 

Christ, that actually sounds WORSE than the gaming industry

[WrathOfHan]

On 10/4/2021 at 6:58 PM, WrathOfHan said:

The following films in post-production on IMDb are at risk of being removed from the schedule from Nov-Mar if the strike lasts as long as the WGA one did back in 2007/2008:

 

November 24: House of Gucci

November 26: Licorice Pizza

Completed/Safe: Eternals, Belfast, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, King Richard, Encanto, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

 

December 10: Don't Look Up, A Journal for Jordan, Violence of Action, West Side Story

December 17: Nightmare Alley, Spider-Man: No Way Home

December 22: The Matrix Resurrections

December 25: American Underdog

Completed/Safe: Wolf, Cyrano, The King's Man, Sing 2

 

January 14: The Man from Toronto

January 21: Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre

January 28: Morbius

Completed/Safe: The 355, Deep Water, Scream

 

February 4: Moonfall

February 18: Ambulance, Rumble, Uncharted

Completed/Safe: The Black Phone, Jackass Forever, Death on the Nile, The Devil's Light, Dog

 

March 4: The Batman

March 11: Distant, Turning Red

March 18: Downton Abbey: A New Era, The Unbreakable Boy

March 25: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Completed/Safe: Nothing

 

Nov, Jan, and Feb are fine for the most part, but Dec and Mar would be the real pain points if the schedule has to shift again. Awards ceremonies would likely be delayed if not reverted to digital announcements.

Quick update to this list: GDT said he's still editing Nightmare Alley yesterday, so it's in danger of a delay if the strike goes through soon.

[Jamiem]

 

"IATSE is gearing up for a strike if contract talks with the AMPTP fail to produce a fair deal. “We are hoping for a deal but preparing for a strike,” a union source tells Deadline.

 

If there is a strike, the union has plenty of picket signs ready to go, as seen in the above photo, which was taken Sunday at Grips Local 80 in Burbank, CA.

 

The signs carry many of the messages that the union has been expounding since contract began in mid-May: “Fighting for Living Wages,” “Fighting for Rest Periods,” and “Fighting for Meal Breaks.”

 

Photo:

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by Jamiem

[Darth Lehnsherr]

Good for them. Entertainment can wait.

[grim22]

15 minutes ago, Jamiem said:

 

"IATSE is gearing up for a strike if contract talks with the AMPTP fail to produce a fair deal. “We are hoping for a deal but preparing for a strike,” a union source tells Deadline.

 

If there is a strike, the union has plenty of picket signs ready to go, as seen in the above photo, which was taken Sunday at Grips Local 80 in Burbank, CA.

 

The signs carry many of the messages that the union has been expounding since contract began in mid-May: “Fighting for Living Wages,” “Fighting for Rest Periods,” and “Fighting for Meal Breaks.”

 

Photo:

 

Looks like there will either be a deal or a strike by Friday based on all the public comments.

[SLAM!]

If films get delayed, what are the prospects of Paramount moving Top Gun: Maverick to December?

[Jamiem]

2 minutes ago, SLAM! said:

If films get delayed, what are the prospects of Paramount moving Top Gun: Maverick to December?

Too many factors right now to say for sure one way or the other. It is possible some theatres may close at some point if this is extended for a long period of time and less films come to theatres etc. so I imagine would be a risky move for Paramount to push it up and commit to marketing spend unless they could get assurances from the major chains. 

[keysersoze123]

I am flabbergasted they signed a contract previously which made meal breaks optional and reasonable breaks between shooting schedules. Plus special breaks for streaming platforms makes no sense. I hope they get it right this time around. As @Darth Lehnsherr said movies can wait. 

 

Also its good that they are being decisive now instead of dragging the negotiations for ever. There seem to be no sign of AMPTP offering any reasonable terms. 

[Plain Old Tele]

11 minutes ago, keysersoze123 said:

I am flabbergasted they signed a contract previously which made meal breaks optional and reasonable breaks between shooting schedules. Plus special breaks for streaming platforms makes no sense.

Lack of meal breaks are penalized. It was thought that the financial penalty would deter productions from “wasting” money, but now some productions just build the penalties into the budget. And the studios would (and have) argued that 8 hours is a “reasonable” break. The streaming BS was negotiated back in like ‘09. 
 

But part of it is the industry has gaslit itself that “this is how things are done” and “you gotta pay your dues” and so forth. With social media, it was hard to tell if you were just on a shitty production or if it was a widespread issue. And, to be fair, not every production is like this. I’ve been relatively fortunate in this regard (not to mention sitcoms have some of the gentler schedules, at least in terms of post.)

 

But yeah, it’s a mess. 

[Plain Old Tele]

Take this with whatever grains of salt you want…

 

 

[Porthos]

38 minutes ago, Plain Old Tele said:

Take this with whatever grains of salt you want…

 

 

 

Am I cynical in wondering which camp is leaking this?

 

(or am I not being cynical enough by thinking it might be a third party [actors, agents, whomever] that doesn't want to see a strike and is trying to work the refs/keep whatever momentum might be happening moving)

[ViewerAnon]

5 hours ago, Plain Old Tele said:

Lack of meal breaks are penalized. It was thought that the financial penalty would deter productions from “wasting” money, but now some productions just build the penalties into the budget. And the studios would (and have) argued that 8 hours is a “reasonable” break. The streaming BS was negotiated back in like ‘09. 
 

But part of it is the industry has gaslit itself that “this is how things are done” and “you gotta pay your dues” and so forth. With social media, it was hard to tell if you were just on a shitty production or if it was a widespread issue. And, to be fair, not every production is like this. I’ve been relatively fortunate in this regard (not to mention sitcoms have some of the gentler schedules, at least in terms of post.)

 

But yeah, it’s a mess. 

 

Everything about this post is so dead-on accurate it hurts.