IATSE Gets Show of Solidarity From International Unions as Contract Talks Kick Off: ‘Your Fight Is Our Fight’ (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

IATSE as contract talks get underway. Affiliates of UNI Global Union, which reps 500,000 works across 140 unions and guilds across the international media, entertainment and arts sector, have pledged their support for IATSE as it begins negotiations with AMPTP on its Hollywood Basic Agreement, which is set to expire on July 31.

IATSE is also a UNI affiliate. “The member unions across the globe stand in solidarity with our U.S. colleagues as they go into their negotiations for fair pay, decent working conditions and the protection of workers’ rights in the digital environment including the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI),” said the UNI’s Media, Entertainment and Arts executive committee in a statement. “We support your demands and call on the AMPTP to engage with you in a meaningful way to achieve a fair contract.

Your fight is our fight. Ensuring fair pay, the protection of our members’ rights and dignity at work are part of the common agenda of all entertainment unions in UNI Global Union, often facing the same global companies.” The statement of solidarity is also no doubt intended as a warning shot if productions attempt to move shoots outside the U.S.

in the event of an IATSE strike. A spokesperson for UNI declined to comment on what the federation planned to tell its international affiliates about accepting work from struck companies should a strike go ahead.