If IATSE members vote to strike later this week, Broadway productions will be largely unaffected.
The union, whose members include stagehands, artisans and technicians on Broadway, as well as camera operators, designers and other behind-the-scenes workers in film and television, is planning to hold a nationwide vote to authorize a strike Friday. If members vote to strike, it would primarily impact the film and television industry, as it concerns a stalled contract negotiation between IATSE and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
It would not affect the IATSE contracts with the Broadway League or any other theater employer. One potential impact within the theater industry could be for productions scheduled to be filmed under the Producer-IATSE Basic Agreement and the Theatrical and the Television Motion Picture Area Standards Agreement, the contracts involved in the negotiations.
The only Broadway production that had plans to record was “Waitress,” according to several sources familiar with the matter, but that shooting schedule was due to be completed before the potential strike. Press representatives for “Waitress” did not respond to requests for comment.
The decision to hold a strike authorization vote comes after months of negotiations on successor contracts between IATSE and AMPTP.
IATSE says it is negotiating to address issues of low wages, unsafe working hours, rest breaks and lower pay for workers on streaming media projects. It did not receive a counteroffer from AMPTP for its latest proposal, which led to the decision to hold the vote.
The strike authorization vote will begin Friday and the results are expected to be announced Oct. 4.
