Hollywood staves off strike with deal between studios, crews

Hollywood has staved off a strike with a deal reached between the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and studio companies. 

An update from the IATSE says a tentative deal was reached on Saturday just two days before the members threatened to strike.

“Your strike authorization vote, your preparation for a strike and your willingness to risk your livelihood to fight for yourselves and each other has profoundly changed our union. We thank you for your unwavering support,” the group said.

Among the items the union says it won were an expansion of sick leave benefit, improved wages and Employer Funded Benefits. 

“This is a Hollywood ending,” union president Matthew Loeb said, The Associated Press reported. “Our members stood firm.”

The union threatened for its 60,000 members to strike on Monday in a move that would have rocked an industry that is just getting back on its feet from the pandemic.

“There are five days left to reach a deal, and the studios will continue to negotiate in good faith in an effort to reach an agreement for a new contract that will keep the industry working,” the group said earlier this week. 

Workers still have to approve the deal but the strike has been canceled.