Film, TV Producers Reach Three-Year Pact With Unions

Negotiators for several hundred television and film producers based in Southern California reached agreement Thursday with representatives of more than 30,000 behind-the-scenes workers on a three-year contract.

Officials on both sides said the concessions that union delegates agreed to could pave the way for sweeping changes that would enable films to be made faster and more economically, thereby keeping thousands of industry jobs in Southern California.

The agreement was reached at 8.30 a.m. Thursday, after 24 hours of marathon talks between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and two umbrella groups representing nearly 30 union locals: the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees and the Basic Crafts.

A statment by the two sides said the new pact would provide across-the-board wage increases of 90 cents an hour the first year, $1 an hour the second year and $1.10 an hour the third year. In addition, pension benefits would be increased 25% for people still working and 10% for retirees.

Industry experts, who did not want to be named, estimated that the agreement covers 40 million worker hours a year, putting the increased cost at $40 million a year for each of the three years of the contract.

The new agreement will go into effect as soon as it is ratified by members of the union locals involved, which is expected to take about three weeks. The old agreement expired at midnight Wednesday.

“I don’t think there will be any problems getting members to accept it,” said Mac St. Johns, an alliance spokesman.

The complex negotiations took place at a time when rapidly rising production costs in Southern California and incentives from other parts of the country are causing some producers to make their films outside the state.

“Both sides went into these negotiations with the aim of keeping feature film and television film production here in Southern California and bringing back work that has left,” St. Johns said.

Although union representatives won more money and better benefits, they also agreed to greater interchangeability between workers of various locals, he said.

“Workers will be able to cross over traditional work category lines to help each other and speed up production,” St. Johns said.

The producers’ organization represents several hundred producers, from the big film studios to small independent producers.

The alliance represents 24 West Coast union locals, whose members include cinematographers, sound technicians, editors, costume designers, makeup artists, hair stylists, projectionists and art directors.

Basic Crafts includes five locals that are members of big unions, such as the Teamsters. The members are drivers, electricians, laborers, plasterers and plumbers.