IATSE Remains “Hopeful” About Finalizing Basic Agreement Before Teamsters Take Up Baton, Wages Still A Sticking Point

deadline.com:

IATSE is still chipping away at a new three-year deal with the studios, even as the union’s scheduled bargaining days dwindle.

The union revealed over the weekend that talks on the Area Standards Agreement, which were scheduled to conclude by Friday, will continue later this month.

The union is now taking the week to shift the focus back to the Basic Agreement and is trying to iron out those details by Wednesday. “Tone is positive, but I wouldn’t say it’s been as productive as people had hoped,” an executive looped into the negotiations tells Deadline. “Lots of going round and round on wages, still a gulf between our side and theirs.” Deadline understands that wage increases and job security have been the main sticking points in talks, both of which have become higher priority for IATSE members in recent years.

Below-the-line crew were hit hard by pandemic-related shutdowns followed by the work stoppages last year. Now, with the contraction in production the industry is currently experiencing, many of those workers are still not seeing any relief. “The real negotiation is no one wants a strike, but we can’t seem to get all the pieces together for an agreement that works for everyone,” the exec added.