The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, known as simply the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE or IA for short), is a North American labor union representing over 168,000 technicians, artisans, and craftspersons in the entertainment industry, including live theatre, motion picture and television production, broadcast and trade shows in the United States, its territories, and Canada. It was awarded the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 1993.
Overview
IATSE was founded on July 17, 1893, when representatives of stagehands working in eleven cities met in New York and pledged to support each other's efforts to establish fair wages and working conditions for their members. IATSE has since evolved to embrace the development of new entertainment media, craft expansion, technological innovation and geographic growth.
Today, IATSE members work in all forms of live theater, motion picture and television production, trade shows and exhibitions, television broadcasting, and concerts as well as the equipment and construction shops that support all these areas of the entertainment industry. IATSE represents virtually all the behind-the-scenes workers in crafts ranging from motion picture animator to theater usher.
During a period when private sector union membership has been in sharp decline, IATSE has continued to grow. Since 1993, IATSE's membership has increased from 74,344 to 168,000 which it attributes to its willingness to adapt its structure to protect traditional jurisdiction and accommodate new crafts.
History
1886–1987
In 1886, members of the Theatrical Protective Union of New York went on strike in New York City. After producers filled the positions of strikers with less skilled strikebreakers, actors refused to work due to sets falling apart. With the support of the actors behind the strikers, they succeeded in most of their requests.
In 1893, representatives of stagehands from eleven cities met in New York to discuss working conditions for their peers. They vowed to support each other in the effort to create an industry that would allow for fair wages and better working conditions. On June 17, 1893, the representatives officially formed the National Alliance of Theatrical Stage . In 1895, "home rule" was established. The alliance defined home rule as "22 New York theatres for New York local members, Chicago theatres for Chicago (and so forth)... and no other members of locals allowed to work within the jurisdiction of other locals without (their) consent."
The Los Angeles Theatrical workers union (which had independently formed in 1891) joined NATSE in 1896. By 1898, the NATSE had welcomed two Canadian locals into the alliance: Montreal Local 56 and Toronto Local 58. In 1902, the alliance adopted "International" into its title.
In 1912, the union began a system that allowed individuals traveling with attractions to send basic information such as the size and length of time the local crews would be needed ahead to the next destination. This assured that there would be enough people to staff each theatre, and helped ensure these were union crews. The system is still in process today, and is referred to as the "yellow card system".
IATSE was quickly becoming the preeminent theatrical union in North America after the Canadian Department of Labour listed theatrical locals in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Calgary, Saskatchewan and Vancouver in 1928.
In June 1933, President Roosevelt signed legislation into law affecting all US workers: the National Recovery Act, creating the National Recovery Administration (NRA). The NRA's first mission was to create a uniform system of codes to cover all of industry in the United States.
For months, the alliance participated in hearings to create an industrial code for the entertainment industry. Eventually, four different codes were established: Code of Fair Competition for the Motion Picture Industry; Code of Fair Competition for the Legitimate Full Length Dramatic and Musical Theatrical Industry; Code of Fair Competition for the Burlesque Theatrical Industry; and the Code of Fair Competition for the Motion Picture Laboratory Industry. The NRA shortened working hours to spread the work around, and set the first minimum wage level for stagehands. In 1938 the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed, including a provision that required studios to rearrange production schedules to fit the agreed-upon 44-hour work week (to be reduced to 40 over the following three years).
In 1940 the Canadian Picture Pioneers organization was formed, "dedicated to the support and well-being of all members of the motion picture industry in Canada".
Corruption in the early 20th century
During the early 20th century, organized crime gained influence over parts of IATSE in collusion with employers. In June 1934, IATSE held an election with only one person running. The election was rigged by the soon-to-be elected President George Browne. The other two opponents in the running suddenly dropped from the race after death threats were received. Willie Bioff, another Chicago gangster, was instantly elected Browne's "personal representative". He used violent threats to discuss a private and limited contract with studios. These contracts included weak contracts and high dues. The studios liked the protection against the union. In 1941, Bioff and other mobsters were charged with corruption leading to union members attempting to remove them from power in IATSE. However, The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees remained corrupt and reverted to fraudulent negotiating practices.
In 1998, the union's name was lengthened to the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, while maintaining the existing acronym. In 2011 the Communications Department was established, and in 2012, the Organizing Department was folded into the Stagecraft Department, and two new departments were established: Education and Training, and Broadcast.
In 1999, IATSE established the IATSE Political Action Committee, a federal political action committee designed to support candidates for federal office who promote the interests of the members of the IATSE and its locals and to support a federal legislative and administrative agenda to benefit those members.
In 2001, IATSE changed the word ' in their name to Employees to reflect modern spelling.
The Labor Education Assistance Program (LEAP) was launched in 2009, which would pay tuition for labor studies courses taken by its local union officers. Following LEAP, the IA established the Training Trust to provide training opportunities in the areas of safety and skills development for IATSE members.
Averted 2021 strike
After passing an original July 31 deadline, as well as multiple extensions, negotiations between the IATSE and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) over the Hollywood Basic Agreement (covering the Los Angeles area) and the Area Standards Agreement (covering the rest of the country) broke down in September 2021. The IATSE demands include higher minimum wages, a minimum time period between the end of one day and the start of another, an end to the current classification of streaming as "New Media" with lower minimum wages, and measures to dissuade studios from skipping breaks for meals. Meanwhile, a trend towards production of both shorter seasons and fewer seasons overall has resulted in shorter production schedules and fewer chances for promotions. The hashtag #IALivingWage has gained traction with a public call for a US$25.08–$25.95 minimum wage. On September 21, the IATSE announced a "nationwide strike authorization vote"; each local needs to reach a vote threshold of 75 percent yes for approval. The Los Angeles Times noted that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on film and TV production, the unions were in a strong position; Paul Krugman of the New York Times opined that "[t]he sellers' market in labor has also emboldened union members, who have been much more willing than usual to go on strike". The board of directors of the Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700, "voted unanimously to recommend that Guild members vote yes in favor of a strike authorization vote". Similarly, the national executive board of the International Cinematographers Guild, IATSE Local 600, voted unanimously in favor of authorizing a strike.
Nationwide strike authorization votes were held from October 1 to 3. IATSE members voted 98.68 percent in favor of authorizing a strike, with ballots cast by 89.66 percent of eligible voters. Afterwards, on October 4, IATSE president Matthew Loeb said "I hope that the studios will see and understand the resolve of our members... The ball is in their court." The AMPTP said in a statement that it "remains committed to reaching an agreement that will keep the industry working".
Talks between the AMPTP and IATSE resumed on October 5 and continued through October 13. On October 9, Loeb informed IATSE members that either a deal or a strike would happen in "a matter of days, not weeks". The national executive director of the Editors Guild, Cathy Repola, said on October 12 that "the pace of negotiations does not reflect the urgency of the situation... the employers repeatedly refuse to do what it will take to achieve a fair deal". Barring a last-minute deal, the IATSE is set to begin its strike on October 18; a spokesman for the AMPTP said that with "five days left to reach a deal... 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."
WGA East said in a statement that "[w]e work side by side with IATSE's members and we stand shoulder to shoulder with them in their contract fight". After the strike authorization vote, the national board of directors of the Directors Guild of America said it "stands in solidarity with our IATSE brothers, sisters and kin... We urge the producers and studios of the AMPTP to return to the bargaining table and make a fair deal addressing... critical issues." Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins supported the IATSE and planned to strike over dangerous working conditions days before her death in the 2021 Rust shooting incident.
Philippa Childs, head of the British entertainment union section BECTU, said the group was "fully behind the strike" and urged members in the event of a strike not to replace any striking IATSE members in the UK. In Australia, the MEAA said that the "unity and determination to achieve change shown by IATSE members sets a benchmark for all of us".
Congressional Democrats, comprising 31 Senators and 87 Representatives, wrote to AMPTP president Carol Lombardini on September 30 to express support for "the principles of adequate sleep, meal breaks[,] and living wages for all workers". Following the strike authorization vote, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the results "an incredible accomplishment" and "exactly the kind of mass-movement organizing we need right now". Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) tweeted that IATSE workers "are integral to Georgia's economy and I support their fight to push for fair wages and benefits, which they deserve".
A strike would have affected productions everywhere in the United States, as Locals 600, 700, and 800, representing camera crews, editors, and art directors, respectively, are national organizations. However, not all production work would be affected by a strike: IATSE has a separate "pay TV" agreement in place with various production companies including BET, Cinemax, HBO, Showtime, and Starz, and similar agreements exist for other types of productions, including music videos, sports productions, one-off single productions, low-budget theatrical productions, animated works,