IATSE Demands Extended Healthcare for 'Below-the-Line' Crew Amid Strikes
Matt Loeb, President of IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees), is appealing to film and television studios to extend healthcare benefits to 'below-the-line' crew members who may otherwise lose them amid the ongoing strikes by the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild. These strikes come as a response to the dwindling benefits offered to this group of workers, potentially leaving many without health coverage.
The SAG-AFTRA strike has just commenced, while the Writers Guild strike has been active for 74 days. This timeline has raised concerns as many crew members face the possibility of losing their health coverage. It's worth noting that during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, an extension of healthcare benefits was granted to out-of-work crew members by the Motion Picture Industry Pension & Health Plan (MPIPHP), assisting active workers to qualify for healthcare coverage.
During the health crisis, the MPIPHP modified its qualifying regulations to best serve those participants with a minimum of 100 hours worked or banked, thereby securing extended eligibility for health coverage from July to December of 2020. This move was universally lauded as a fair and generous response during an unprecedented global health crisis.
However, in light of the ongoing strikes, Loeb argues that the studios have the capacity to continue paying crew members and funding their healthcare. In spite of this, they choose to rely on grassroot groups such as The Union Solidarity Coalition to provide the necessary support for workers.
This stance is echoed by IATSE Local 700, the Editors Guild, which has advised members not to expect a similar extension of benefits to those granted during the pandemic, due to half of the MPIPHP board being represented by the companies now under strike. This sentiment has also been reiterated by the WGA.
A view into the scene at Hollywood, and it's a harrowing one. The glittering lights of the industry shadow a pervasive issue - a tug of war between dollar-driven production houses and the individuals whose endeavors fuel their success.
Loeb’s appeal reads like a wartime speech, casting studios as the villains of a modern labor saga. One must wonder why the studios - businesses that weathered an unparalleled global health crisis - seem hesitant to extend a helping hand to their workforce during an industry shutdown.
For now, the stage is empty as a standoff ensues, threatening to disrupt the otherwise steady rhythm of Hollywood's production line. But behind the scene, there's a scramble - IATSE and associated unions rally for concession from companies that appear hell-bent on maintaining silence and inertia.
Loeb's rallying call to 'stand united until the studios acknowledge our collective worth, and the workers prevail,' paints an ominous picture. His insinuation of the 'studios' weak attempts to divide and conquer union members' reads like a thriller movie plot, seemingly written to highlight a glaring discrepancy between the red-carpet glamor of Hollywood and the sweat equity of those beyond the limelight.
SAG-AFTRA, the Writers Guild, and IATSE aren't taking this lying down. Their fight today could easily be the fight of every other member of the entertainment industry tomorrow. As industry insiders, we watch with bated breath as this David-Goliath battle unfolds.
A showstopper of a different kind, this strife echoes the beating heart of a struggling industry and brings attention to the less glamorous, but vital, aspects of the Hollywood machine.
So here we are, a cliffhanger of our own. Will Hollywood’s mighty conglomerates yield under labor’s solidarity and the keen gaze of the world? Whatever the outcome, here’s hoping the show can go on, and the industry remodeled to ensure a happily ever after for all its key players.
