Not every member on a set is covered under IATSE - workers have to perform a certain number of hours to qualify for the union - but it provides an important umbrella for those who have been part of the lifeblood of this industry for decades. Each “Local” chapter negotiates its own contracts and determines its own dues based on a structure appropriate for its members. These include a number of chapters that each focus on a different aspect of production - from craft positions such as camera operators, editors, hair, and production designers to script coordinators and some production assistants. Nicknamed IATSE, the union grew throughout the 20th century as it expanded to represent the workers that populated film, television, and now streaming.Īlthough groups like Screen Actors Guild (SAG) as well as the Writers and Directors Guilds of America (WGA and DGA, respectively) get more press thanks to representing top talent, IATSE is fundamentally the life blood of the industry, performing what is referred to as “below the line” work. In 1893, theater workers from 11 different cities formed the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada to help negotiate fair wages for those workers.

Actors, writers, and directors could sometimes manage a decent wage, but the same wasn’t true for the dozens of people who made the stage actually run - whether doing costumes, lighting, or set design. Audiences flocked to theaters, whether large Broadway shows or simple vaudeville houses that cost a nickel. In the 1890s, stage performance was the equivalent of popular media production today. But what’s already been made clear from the authorization vote is that the workers have reached a boiling point.įor those not familiar with the industry, it’s vital to understand IATSE’s purpose, and how the negotiations - and potential strike - might change the way that film and television is made in the future. IATSE has announced it will only strike if the union can come to an agreement with AMPTP before Monday, Oct. But among the local IATSE chapters, representing 60,000 members, the vote results were strikingly clear: 89 percent of the ballots were returned, with 98 percent authorizing a strike. These votes are often controversial workers might prefer the status quo over the risk of a strike. To move from negotiations to a strike, IATSE needed the approval of its members. IATSE (pronounced “eye-yahtzee”) has been in a prolonged and arduous negotiation period for a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) since the summer over issues of work hours and fair compensation. 4, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the labor organization that represents a majority of the craft-driven workers in Hollywood, announced the results of its vote for a strike authorization.

Strike and reel movie