IATSE has scheduled three more days of negotiations in June, during which it hopes to reach a tentative agreement with the studio.
The union told members on Friday that it had reached an “agreement” with the Federation of Motion Picture and Television Producers on several issues, but there are still issues to be addressed, such as artificial intelligence and how to best protect workers displaced by AI.
Under the existing agreement, IATSE workers who lose their jobs permanently due to “technological change” are entitled to retraining and severance pay. The new contract will specify how that applies in the case of AI.
The union says it's not trying to stop AI, but wants to address the various impacts it could have on the many professions it covers. IATSE represents a wide range of “below the line” workers, from grips and prop makers to costume designers and cinematographers.
The unions are scheduled to resume negotiations on a master agreement June 3-5. The pact covers about 45,000 to 50,000 workers across 13 Los Angeles-based unions.
Negotiators this week discussed a parallel contract, the “regional standards agreement,” covering another 23 local authorities across the country. Talks on that agreement resumed on Tuesday and are due to continue into next week.
The ASA's consultations focus on issues of working conditions, such as the length of working hours and provisions for breaks.
“Fundamentally, these negotiations are about ensuring that employers respect workers' rights to take time off and rest between long hours, to go home safely to see their families, and to be financially stable,” IATSE international president Matt Loeb said in a message Friday. “We will resume discussions with employers next week, and the work will continue.”
The union is also looking to close a $670 million shortfall in its health and pension plans over the next three years. IATSE is seeking a new source of revenue in the form of streaming residuals to make up for funds depleted by last year's double strike and the COVID pandemic.
IATSE stressed in its message that no deal is made until everything is made, and the tentative agreements are still subject to change.
The master agreement and local standards agreements expire July 31. The AMPTP also has to negotiate new master occupational contracts in June with the Teamsters and several other unions, including laborers, electricians and plumbers.
Many IATSE workers have remained on the sidelines for more than a year as the industry struggles to fully recover from the strike amid broader downsizing.
