A 24-hour strike at The New York Times, a historic demonstration in which more than 1,100 employees are expected to participate, began Thursday at midnight, after management and the union representing staffers failed to reach an agreement for a new contract.
“If you are working on commercials or for HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, BET or another company that has a contract still in effect – you must keep working,” IATSE informed its members. “You will not be a scab!” (Image: HBO; IATSE; BET)
Leaders of the Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700, are urging their members to vote “overwhelmingly” to authorize a strike against the film and TV industry. The guild’s board, meeting on Tuesday, voted unanimously to recommend that members back the strike authorization after negotiations with the AMPTP for a new Basic Agreement broke down.
The streaming wars have wrought worn-out legions of workers dealing with brutal production schedules, 15-hour workdays, and corner-cutting on meal breaks. And it looks like at least one union has had enough.
IATSE is now gearing up for a second strike against the film and TV industry. With the union and its 13 West Coast studio locals already threatening to strike over terms for a new Hollywood Basic Agreement, IATSE is now seeking a second strike authorization vote for a separate contract covering film and TV work in much of the rest of the country.
IATSE is continuing to prepare its members for a possible strike or a lockout if it can’t make a deal with management’s AMPTP for a new film and TV contract. The union’s current contract was set to expire on July 31, but was extended through Sept. 10, the union says, “in an effort to exhaust every opportunity to make a deal.”
Exclusives
The crew, a mix of ITV America staff and folk from the Warner-owned studio complex, said producers have been “unresponsive” for requests for recognition. Around 10% of staff are striking but production is continuing.
WCAU Staff Walk Two Days Before Papal Visit
About 65 videographers and technicians at NBC O&O WCAU walked off their jobs late Thursday afternoon, using the timing of tomorrow’s visit to the city by Pope Francis to try to get the station back to the table to pound out an agreement. The walkout caps more than a year of negotiations between the local union members and representatives and NBC.IATSE and The Biggest Loser production company Reveille said Monday that a tentative agreement has been reached between the union and the production company that gives the crew health benefits and ends the strike against the show.
