ROADMAP FOR ASA NEGOTIATIONS
Our Union is going into these negotiations UNITED and from a position of STRENGTH. We will be AGGRESSIVE at the table and do what it takes to win a contract that IATSE members expect, deserve, and ratify.
PRE-MAY 2024
1
PREPARATIONS
for negotiations start the collaborative and democratic process.
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Negotiating Committees and subcommittees were formed in late 2023 and have met regularly. The Negotiating Committee is the team that represents the members and our union in the negotiations. It consists of members representing each of the 23 Area Standards Locals, in addition to subject matter experts, staff, and elected leadership.
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Last year, the Negotiating Committee began gathering members' input through bargaining surveys, local union meetings, town halls, digital communications, and one-on-one conversations.
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A membership survey was distributed starting in October and tens of thousands of IATSE members participated.
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The Negotiating Committee is using this feedback to ascertain members' collective priorities, as well as formulate workable contract proposals and strategies.
MID MAY
2
NEGOTIATIONS
for the Area Standards Agreement are expected to begin in Mid May.
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Union Negotiating Committee and studios trade initial proposals.
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Both sides are legally required to take turns trading proposals to inch towards a mutually agreeable deal (also called "negotiating in good faith").
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Negotiating Committee regularly updates membership after bargaining sessions and developments at the table.
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The Negotiating Committee is not interested in extending this agreement beyond the July 31 expiration. Depending on the status of negotiations around this time, there will either be a strike authorization vote, or a ratification vote.
JULY 31st 2024
CONTRACT EXPIRES
3
DISPUTE?
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If no deal is reached, The Negotiating Committee may call for a strike authorization vote.
4
RATIFICATION
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When a tentative agreement with the AMPTP is reached, members vote on whether to ratify, or approve, the proposed deal.
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WE ARE HERE
5
ENFORCEMENT
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After IA members ratify the new Area Standards Agreement, the union and members must work diligently to ensure that employers adhere to the terms outlined in the contract and safety best practices.
LEARN MORE ABOUT
OUR HISTORY
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada (IATSE) was founded in 1893 when representatives of stagehands working in eleven cities met in New York and pledged to support each others’ efforts to establish fair wages and working conditions for their members.
The expansion of the Alliance continued when the Los Angeles theatrical workers union joined in 1896, despite anti-union pressures. Canadian locals were welcomed in 1898, signifying the Alliance's growing international presence. In 1902, this international presence was formalized when the Alliance's name was changed to include "International" following a unanimous vote at our convention.
In the early 20th century, the Alliance continued to evolve to reflect changes in the entertainment industry. In 1915, we acknowledged the emerging role of projectionists by including "Moving Picture Machine Operators" in our name. In 1918, we successfully led a general strike against Los Angeles producers, demonstrating our increasing influence in the movie industry.
The Alliance gained jurisdiction over cinematographers and lab workers in 1921, and the first Hollywood Studio Mechanics Local was welcomed in 1925. Notably, the first Studio Basic Agreement was signed in 1926, setting a framework for negotiating wages, benefits, and working conditions for our members.
The mid-20th century was marked by both significant challenges and achievements for the labor movement in Hollywood. The infamous "Bloody Friday" in 1945, with mass picket lines at Warner Brothers Studios, illustrated the ongoing struggle for labor rights in the industry. However, by 1952, IA workers successfully went on strike at major TV producers, showing our growing influence in the burgeoning television industry.
The Alliance continued to grow, celebrating its centennial in 1993 and reaching a membership of 75,000 that year. The 1990s and 2000s saw the Alliance adapting to new industry dynamics, from the establishment of a National Safety Committee in 1997, to organizing workers at Fox Sports International in 2004, and adopting the tagline “The Union Behind Entertainment” in 2007.
Today, IATSE members work in all forms of live theater, motion picture and television production, trade shows and exhibitions, television broadcasting, and concerts as well as the equipment and construction shops that support all these areas of the entertainment industry.
We are more than 170,000 workers strong in virtually all arts, media, and entertainment crafts, and our mission is to improve all entertainment workers’ lives both inside and outside the workplace.
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