IATSE vs. AMPTP: Potential Industry Strike Looms

Is the film and video production industry on the brink of a complete shutdown? Let’s dive into the reasons why.

Are you aware of IATSE if you’re not part of the mainstream film industry? It’s the largest union in the world that covers every craft within film and television production. It represents over 140K+ technicians, artisans, and craftspeople in the film and entertainment industry. This includes individuals in motion pictures, television, and new media.

Recently, IATSE has been in a battle with AMPTP, a trade association that represents over 350 TV and film companies and producers, along with other media conglomerates. The tension has escalated, and it seems like a strike between the two is imminent.

But what does this mean for the industry, and how did we get here? Let’s catch you up on everything going on.

IATSE vs. AMPTP

IATSE and AMPTP have had an off-and-on-strenuous relationship over the years. The two are constantly in negotiations for wages, compensations, benefits, and other bargaining agreements.

The Current Situation

IATSE has been more vocal about the state of the industry since the start of the pandemic. The pandemic caused productions to shut down, then subsequently start up on tighter schedules and with more safety precautions and restrictions—often without added budget or time allotted for crews.

The biggest concern for many in the union has to do with the time spent on set, long hours, and short turnarounds for professionals. These factors understandably create unsafe work environments for everyone.

In the most recent messaging from IATSE, they’ve called for a strike. This would be the largest labor shutdown in Hollywood since the writers’ strike almost fifteen years ago.

If the vote goes through, the strike will undoubtedly cause a major shutdown in the industry, while (at the same time) forcing the hands of producers and the media companies to meet the demands of IATSE, if they want to keep productions on-going and on schedule.

IATSE Stories

Over the last several weeks, the Instagram handle ia_stories has blown up in popularity because of the nature of the stories contributed to the account.