Deal Seen on Video Shoots

Music-video companies are expected to sign a deal today providing pension and health benefits to unionized crew members who work on their productions.

After representatives of the Music Video Production Assn. and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees ink the deal, individual video production firms would have up to three months to decide whether to sign on, cut separate deals with the union or use nonunion labor.

The pact, a three-year agreement that is expected to cover music-video production nationwide, would provide union benefits to crew members for the first time since the mini-movies became a major promotional tool for record labels two decades ago.

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-- Jeff Leeds