Reprinted from Deadline Hollywood by David Robb on September 21, 2020.
Hollywood’s unions and management’s AMPTP finally have an agreement to return to work in the coronavirus era. Union sources say the deal took much longer to reach than they would have liked or expected.
The agreement means that the studios, networks, major companies and independent producers alike are cleared to resume production. The unions previously had adopted protocols called “Safe Way Forward” on June 12, and the Industry-Wide Labor Management Safety Committee Task Force had issued return-to-work protocols on June 1.
“The protocols pave the way for creative workers, who have been hard hit by the pandemic, to resume their crafts and livelihoods in workplaces redesigned around their health,” the unions said in a joint statement. “Guiding principles include strictly enforced testing regimens and safety protocols, a zone-based system, and diligent use of personal protective equipment (PPE).” …
In a Joint Statement, DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, Teamsters and the Basic Crafts Announce COVID-19 Testing and Protocols Adopted with the AMPTP to Allow Production to Resume Safely
Reprinted from a joint IATSE press release by Jonas Loeb and others on September 21, 2020.
The unions representing casts and crews [on Monday] announced they have reached an agreement with the major studios on protocols to allow the industry to safely re-open. The protocols pave the way for creative workers, who have been hard hit by the pandemic, to resume their crafts and livelihoods in workplaces redesigned around their health. Guiding principles include strictly enforced testing regimens and safety protocols, a zone-based system, and diligent use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The new measures will be implemented by employers in order to minimize the risk of transmission. To ensure workers’ livelihoods are not burdened with added uncertainty during the pandemic, the agreement also includes COVID-19 sick leave and quarantine pay.
The agreement is the outcome of unprecedented coordination and solidarity between the Directors Guild of America (DGA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and the Basic Crafts, and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). This group worked with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) for months to develop science-based protocols to minimize the risk of transmission, designed with the unique work environments of film and television production in mind.
The new guidelines are based on “The Safe Way Forward” report released by the unions in June, and developed in consultation with leading epidemiologists and experts; as well as the preceding industry white paper delivered to state governments and agencies to examine the resumption of production. The white paper was developed by the Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee Task Force consisting of the unions named here, together with the AMPTP. …
