IATSE President Matt Loeb Tells Members They Have “Legal Right” To Honor WGA Picket Lines In Event Of A Strike

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: In the event of a strike by the Writers Guild, IATSE members working on struck shows have the “legal right” to honor the guild’s picket lines, though they might be replaced temporarily by non-union workers, according to IATSE president Matthew Loeb.

With both sides talking and exchanging proposals, a writers strike still could come as soon as Monday night at midnight PT unless the WGA reaches an agreement for a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. “Unless prohibited by contract, employees have a legal right to honor a lawful picket line,” Loeb said in a message sent to his U.S.-based members Friday, noting that none of IATSE’s various contracts “expressly prohibit IATSE-represented employees from doing so.

Employers are generally prohibited from terminating employees exercising their legal right to honor a picket line. However, employers may temporarily replace such workers with employees who are willing to cross the line and work.” RELATED: WGA Members Prep Picket Signs Targeting Studios As Strike Deadline Looms In Hollywood, IATSE’s Basic Agreement “does not expressly prohibit employees from honoring lawful picket lines,” he wrote. “Therefore, employees working under the agreement retain their right to honor a lawful picket line.” Outside of Hollywood, “employees are expressly permitted to honor any lawful picket line” under IATSE’s Area Standards Agreement, he wrote.

Loeb’s position is similar to one taken by the Teamsters, whose leaders recently told their members that “Teamsters do not cross picket lines.” The “no strike” clause contained in Hollywood Teamsters Local 399’s contract states: “The Producer will not discipline any employee covered by this Agreement