IATSE Boss Matthew Loeb On “Precarious” Hollywood, Upcoming Studio Talks, Sunday’s Rally With The Teamsters, & Election 2024
deadline.comIn many ways, longtime International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees president Matthew Loeb is the personification of that Teddy Roosevelt adage of “speak softly, and carry a big stick” …well, maybe except for the speak softly part. “From where I sit, this is really about security in an industry that is precarious already,” Loeb states of the upcoming talks starting March 4 with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on new three-year agreements. “A strike vote is always possible and I can’t rule it out,” the veteran union leader adds of the stakes involved for his members and the latest contract talks.
Heading into joint negotiations with studios with the Lindsay Dougherty-led Hollywood Teamsters and other crafts on Monday, Loeb arrived in LA earlier this week for last minute preparations with his team and other leaders.
Fittingly, with support from all the other Guilds, Loeb also came loaded for bear to take the stage tomorrow at a self-described Nothing Moves Without The Crew mega-rally in Encino.
With their current film and TV contracts set to expire on July 31 and the union having stated last month they are not interested in extending it, IATSE are also going into talks with the Carol Lombardini-led AMPTP in the aftermath of last year’s bruising strikes by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
Read more on deadline.com
