Oct 17, 2021 - Economy

Hollywood union reaches deal with studios to avert strike

Ivana Saric

hollywood sign — Photo: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

A Hollywood workers' union reached a tentative deal with studios, networks and streamers that will guarantee better working conditions, meal breaks and increased wages for low-paid workers, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) announced Saturday night.

Why it matters: The deal, which still needs to be ratified by IATSE members, will avert a nationwide strike by film and television workers that was set to start Monday. It would have been the first strike in the union's 128-year history.

The deal will guarantee 54 hours of rest for workers on weekends, add Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as a holiday, and adopt diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, IATSE wrote in the news release.

AMPTP spokesman Jarryd Gonzales confirmed the agreement with CNN.

What they're saying: “This is a Hollywood ending,” IATSE president Matthew Loeb said in the statement. “Our members stood firm. We are tough and united.”

Be smart: IATSE represents 60,000 behind-the-scenes workers like makeup artists, editors and camera operators. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) represents major film and TV producers, like Netflix and Walt Disney Studios.

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Hollywood union reaches deal with studios to avert strike

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