The Directors Guild of America (DGA) released a statement of support standing with the film and television workers in their contract fight with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
In the statement they wrote, “the DGA National Board, as the representatives of more than 18,000 directors and members of the directorial team, stands in solidarity with our I.A.T.S.E. brothers, sisters and kin. The quality of life and living wage issues they are fighting for are important to all workers on set. We urge the producers and studios of the AMPTP to return to the bargaining table and make a fair deal addressing these critical issues.”
The directors signing onto the statement of support include: Lesli Linka Glatter, Mary Rae Thewlis, Paris Barclay, Betty Thomas, Ron Howard, Barry Jenkins, Seith Mann, Ava DuVernay, Lily Olszewski, Joyce Thomas, Jon Avnet, Norberto Barba, Karen Gaviola, Julie Gelfand, Duncan Henderson, Todd Holland, Nicole Kassell, Kathleen McGill, Christopher Nolan, Millicent Shelton and Steven Spielberg.
Negotiations between the IATSE and AMPTP resumed today for the first time in more than two weeks after the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees announced yesterday that 60,000 members who work in television and film production across the country have voted—by a nearly unanimous margin—to grant IATSE International President Matthew Loeb the authority to call a strike.
REELated: IATSE members vote overwhelmingly to authorize nationwide strike – Details here
This is the first time in IATSE’s 128-year history that members of the union have authorized a nationwide strike.
“The members have spoken loud and clear,” Loeb said yesterday. “This vote is about the quality of life as well as the health and safety of those who work in the film and television industry. Our people have basic human needs like time for meal breaks, adequate sleep, and a weekend. For those at the bottom of the pay scale, they deserve nothing less than a living wage.”
In mid-September the AMPTP did not offer a counter-response to the union’s proposals, which forced the strike vote last week.
Stay with Reel 360 and sister outlet, Reel Chicago for updates on the IATSE situation.