Screentime
Hollywood Labor Strife Raises Threat of Crippling New Shutdown
- Work stoppage could impact 1 million film and television jobs
- Studios are still recovering from Covid production delays
A demonstrator during a rally at the Motion Picture Editors Guild IATSE Local 700 in Los Angeles, California, on Sept. 26.
Photographer: Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
One of Hollywood’s most powerful unions, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, is set to begin a strike-authorization vote, a step toward a walkout that could cripple movie and TV studios still trying to come back from Covid-19 shutdowns.
Labor leaders are seeking shorter work hours as part of a new contract. Production schedules have been particularly grueling since the industry began reopening from pandemic-related shutdowns.