IATSE and Hollywood’s core trade unions opened negotiations on Monday by submitting their proposals on provisions related to pensions and health.
The first day of bargaining came after a massive rally on Sunday, in which union leaders warned of a sequel to last year’s hot summer of work if an agreement was not reached by the July 31 contract deadline.
The talks began at 2 p.m. with an unusually large delegation of crew unions attending to negotiate with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the major studios.
The negotiations are expected to take place under a media blackout, an indication that both sides believe it would be futile to share details of their proposals in the press.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees has agreed to bargain jointly with Teamsters Local 399 and other essential trade unions on issues related to pension and health plans in the motion picture industry.
Unions were expected to demand new residual funds that would increase employer contributions to retirement and health plans. The unions requested the same clause in bargaining in 2021, but did not get it.
Retirement and health plans are facing unusually large deficits in the wake of last year’s double strike, which shut down the written side of the industry for six months.
“The coalition of unions has submitted preliminary proposals to the AMPTP regarding shared MPI benefits plans,” the unions advised members in a brief social media update on Monday evening. The talks are expected to continue throughout the week.”
The negotiation process is expected to be slow. Following joint discussions on pensions and health, IATSE is expected to begin negotiating the basic agreement, which affects 13 local residents on the West Coast. Attention will turn to the District Standards Agreement, which affects other locals across the country, in late April, and Teamsters Local 399 will negotiate its separate issues in June.
Unions have already pledged not to extend contracts beyond the expiry date.