AMPTP Sees Little Hope Of Averting Strike By Directors Guild Of Canada In British Columbia In Next 48 Hours
deadline.comWith contract negotiations stalled and the Directors Guild of Canada BC threatening to go on strike in British Columbia in the next 48 hours, the organizations representing producers there now appear resigned to the inevitability of a work stoppage in the province.
On Tuesday, the DGC BC issued a 72-hour strike notice, the next and possibly final step before it launches a strike.In a joint statement, the AMPTP and the Canadian Media Producers Association said Wednesday: “Following more than a year of good-faith negotiations by producers, we are disappointed that the DGC BC chose to issue a strike notice and that discussions to reach an agreement have stalled.
Our last proposal to the DGC BC was a fair offer that included substantial improvements for employees working under the Collective Agreement.
After meeting with the DGC BC again on April 25, it is clear that significant differences remain. A path that leads both parties to a deal remains a priority, but the DGC’s choice may impede a resolution in the near future.”A strike, if it comes to that, would be the first in the guild’s history, though most films and TV shows currently shooting in British Columbia would not be affected because they are protected by what’s known as “safe harbor” agreements.In 2008 the BC Labor Board imposed safe harbor agreements upon the industry to provide for labor stability during collective bargaining, and most productions currently shooting in BC have signed safe harbor agreements.
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