The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) indicated Wednesday that they will strike as early as next week if the Alliance of Motion Picture Television Producers (AMPTP) does not meet their demands.

A press release on the IATSE website on Wednesday announced the potential strike, which could begin on Monday at 12:01 a.m. PT.

There will be a strike unless AMPTP, a group that represents hundreds of entertainment companies in the industry, accepts IATSE demands for "reasonable rest periods, meal breaks, and a living wage for those on the bottom of the wage scale." Negotiations have been ongoing for months and those most affected work for streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max, among others.

IATSE voted to hold a strike in September after AMPTP refused to meet their demands. Nearly 99% of voters in the union voted in favor of the strike. One hundred and fifty thousand film and television crew belong to the IATSE union and a strike would affect all film and tv production across North America, but the entire world will feel the impacts of the strike if it goes as planned.

IATSE stated in the press release that "the union will continue bargaining with the producers this week hoping to reach an agreement that addresses core issues, such as reasonable rest periods, meal breaks, and a living wage for those on the bottom of the wage scale."

IATSE President Matthew Loeb said, "the pace of bargaining doesn’t reflect any sense of urgency... Without an end date, we could keep talking forever. Our members deserve to have their basic needs addressed now."

Sixty-thousand workers will feel the effects of this change if IATSE is successful.

Streaming platforms such as Spotify, Netflix and Amazon Prime have revolutionized how the world consumes television, film and music
Streaming platforms such as Spotify, Netflix and Amazon Prime have revolutionized how the world consumes television, film and music AFP / Lionel BONAVENTURE
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