Hollywood●0 min read●
Hollywood Crew Union Votes to Authorize Strike Against Studios
For the first time in a history of 128 years, Hollywood production crews have voted to authorize a strike in the industry that has stopped the workflow entirely. The union leaders demanded adequate sleep and breaks for the workers, which is why they got so many supporters to strike through the weekend. Will the strike change the way Hollywood has been functioning for so long, or will it be suppressed with the influence of the big cats of Hollywood? Let’s find out.
Why Did The Crew Decide To Strike?
According to the statistics published by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, 99% of production crews were in support of the strike. That means a total of 52,706 people were present in the strike because so many people had the same demands from the showrunners of Hollywood.
BREAKING: IATSE Members in TV and Film Production Voted to Authorize the first nationwide industry strike in our 128-year history.
98.68% voted yes, and voter turnout among eligible members was nearly 90% #IASolidarity #IATSEVoted pic.twitter.com/F4wx8cPubi
— IATSE // #VoteYES (@IATSE) October 4, 2021
Several craftspeople, laborers, and technicians work for big companies like Netflix, Apple, and Amazon, who demand better pay, safe working hours, reasonable breaks, and guaranteed meal breaks. According to the president of the alliance, Matthew Loeb, the demands they are making are justified. So, they think the industrial heads must negotiate with them if they want to withdraw from the strike.
According to the alliance, the companies were supposed to negotiate with them after their 3-years contract expired in July. However, as soon as the popular shows like ‘The Queen’s Gambit,’ ‘The Crown,’ and ‘Ted Lasso’ swept off the Emmy awards, the conversations regarding the contract renewal took a pause.
The employees said it is a shame that a prominent organization like The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers cannot provide its behind-the-scenes staff with humane conditions to work. They also said that they worked strenuously to make sure the industry ran as smoothly as possible during the pandemic, but if they didn’t get adequate sleep or meal breaks in return, they would stop working.
Closing Thoughts
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage employees doesn’t have a history of strikes, unlike the Writers Guild of America. It is instead the first nationwide movement launched by the production workers in the history of strikes. That’s why many prominent celebrities in Hollywood have been in support of this strike. They also think that the workers are demanding something fundamental and reasonable, so the authorities should consider it and return to the bargaining table.
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