EXCLUSIVE: The first days of spring are seeing labor peace bloom in Hollywood.
First, the International Cinematographer’s Guild came to a tentative agreement yesterday with the studios in local specific talks, and now the Art Director Guild has a deal of its own.
“Last night, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the Local 800 Bargaining Unit (pictured above) wrapped up its in-person three-day negotiations with the AMPTP at 10pm, by reaching a tentative agreement for the Local 800-specific portion of the 2021-24 Basic Agreement,” confirmed ADG Local 800 President Nelson Coates and ADG Local 800 National Executive Director Chuck Parker in a missive just sent out to members.
“We understand that Locals 600 and 729 have also reached tentative agreements and to them we say, ‘Congratulations!’” the guild chiefs added of the ICG and the Set Painter & Sign-Writers guild. “We wish the other ten West Coast Studio locals good luck as they negotiate their issues.”
ADG; AMPTP
The as-yet-unratified deals for the ICG, ADG and Local 729 close out the first week of local-specific negotiations between IATSE and the AMPTP.
Negotiations kicked off March 4 with the leadership of IATSE, the Hollywood Teamsters and other crafts guilds meeting with the AMPTP for several days to discuss health and pension benefits, and offer proposals. Then there was a week of caucusing before the first two of the 13 LA Locals sat down at the bargaining table with the studios.
It’s looking good so far, but there will be a lot more to come.
“Continuing to build on this success through the month of April is crucial as we will return to the table in May to negotiate for benefits and general terms and conditions of employment affecting us all that will complete the 2021-24 Basic Agreement,” the ADG’s Coates and Parker stated Thursday.
So far, the AMPTP has not presented a counterproposal regarding the general issues.
Late Wednesday, IATSE Local 600 announced to its members that it had reached an agreement with the studios on local-specific issues. The deal comes after just three days of direct talks between the International Cinematographer’s Guild and the Carol Lombardini-led AMPTP.
The Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700) are expected to begin negotiations with the AMPTP this week, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees said Wednesday, under a strategy where ”two locals will negotiate simultaneously at any given time” with the studios over the next month.
The current contracts are set to end July 31. Overall, around 60,000 industry-related IATSE members are affected by the contracts.