IATSE Starts Voting on Possible Historic Strike

IATSE
(Image credit: IATSE)

 LOS ANGELES—Members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) have received ballots on whether to authorize a strike and will be voting over the next three days, with results expected on Monday October 4. 

The IATSE issued a call for strike authorization vote on Sept. 20th after talks had stalled on new contracts replacing those that expired this summer. If the strike vote is approved, it could lead to the first nationwide strike in the union’s history. 

About 60,000 members of the union are voting on the strike. 

Key issues in the labor dispute include: reducing the pay gap between streaming and regular film and TV productions; long working hours; and difficult working conditions that have been exacerbated by the difficulties of producing content during the pandemic.  

George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.