Almost a month after IATSE and the AMPTP said that they had reached a deal on a new film and TV contract to avert a major Hollywood strike, the completed general memorandum of agreement was finally released Thursday to union members.
“This Memorandum of Agreement reflects the complete understanding reached between the parties,” reads the introduction to the 49-page agreement. “As soon as practicable, this Memorandum of Agreement will be reduced to formal contract language. This Memorandum of Agreement is not contract language, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise.”
Click here to read the complete agreement.
Sent today members of Hollywood’s 13 locals, the agreement follows IATSE and the AMPTP solidifying the Area Standard Agreement, covering 26 locals outside of Los Angeles, on October 26. The union always said that the two deals would be linked in their timeline for ratification.
IATSE said today that members would begin voting on both the Basic Agreement and the Theatrical and Television Motion Picture Area Standards Agreement starting November 12. The virtual balloting will continue until November 15 when results will be revealed.
With a number of members expressing concerns at virtual town halls and online about the new three-year contracts, there have been suggestions (to put it mildly) that the agreement be rejected, though until today most members only knew what the new deal contains in broad strokes. Hoping to avert the deal being thwarted, various locals are planning more virtual town halls and meetings beginning this weekend.
IATSE chief Matt Loeb and the other leadership also hope to make clear to members what they achieved in the bargaining, thanks to a near 98% strike-authorization vote that occurred in early October. Leadership is also determined to make members aware that under labor laws, rejecting the deal does mean a return to the negotiating table.