The union that represents most behind-the-scenes film and television crews has reached a tentative deal with studios for about 50,000 of its members, making another major, production-stopping strike unlikely after a year of labor turmoil in Hollywood.
The two sides announced the three-year deal in a joint statement Tuesday night.
The union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, said in an email to members, who still must vote to approve the deal, that the agreement includes the pay hikes and artificial intelligence protections they had been vying for.
The contract, known as the Basic Agreement, affects about 50,000 crew members who belong to 13 different West Coast-based union locals, including art directors, set painters, editors, camera technicians, costume designers, hair stylists and make-up artists.
A separate agreement that affects about 20,000 crew members across the country is still under negotiation.
Last year's grueling writers' and actors' strikes, and 2021 IATSE talks that went well past the contract's expiration and nearly spilled into a strike, had raised fears that 2024 would bring more work stoppages in an industry that still hasn't gotten entirely back to work after being shut down for much of 2023.
Actors including Mark Ruffalo and Kerry Washington sent a letter to the AMPTP last week urging a fair contract for crews.
Several individual branches had already reached separate agreements on the issues unique to them. The Basic Agreement affects crew members across different jobs.
IATSE reached Tuesday night's deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios, streaming services and production companies including Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and Amazon Prime. It's the same alliance that struggled to reach a deal with writers and actors during prolonged strikes last year. But the tentative Basic Agreement agreement comes nearly a month before the previous contract expired.
The letter to IATSE members said more details on the tentative deal will be released later in the week, but it "includes new protections around Artificial Intelligence, including language that ensures no employee is required to provide AI prompts in any manner that would result in the displacement of any covered employee."
It also includes scale rate increases of 7%, 4%, and 3.5% over the three-year term, triple time for workers who surpass 15 hours in a day, and payments from studios to help make up for a shortfall in the union's health insurance budget, the letter said.
FILE - A sign advocating union solidarity sits in a window of The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 80 on Oct. 4, 2021, in Burbank, Calif. The union that represents most film and television crew members reached a tentative deal with studios for about 50,000 of its members, Tuesday, June 25, 2024, making another major production-stopping strike unlikely after a year of labor turmoil in Hollywood. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Kip Lewis returned an interception 61 yards for the game-winning touchdown, and No. 21 Oklahoma rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Auburn, 27-21 on Saturday for its first-ever Southeastern Conference win.
“That was my first experience with Sooner magic as a head coach,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “That was an amazing last four drives on offense and defense. ... We played our best ball when it mattered most.”
It was Oklahoma’s first SEC road game after leaving the Big 12. The Sooners bounced back from a loss at home to Tennessee the previous week in their SEC opener.
True freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. gained 230 yards of total offense in his first career start for Oklahoma after replacing Jackson Arnold during the Tennessee game.
The Sooners (4-1, 1-1 SEC) struggled on offense for much of this game, but they took advantage of several missed opportunities by the Tigers (2-3, 0-2). Oklahoma stopped Auburn on fourth down at the 1-yard line in the first quarter, and the Tigers missed two chances at a short field goal late in the second quarter.
Auburn’s Payton Thorne passed for 338 yards and three touchdowns, but his sixth interception of the season turned out to be the decisive play.
“I’ve got to make sure that (Thorne) understands the situation better, and we should’ve had runs there,” Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said. “I have to be clearer with him on what we have to do there.”
Oklahoma’s Jovantae Barnes cut into Auburn’s 21-10 lead with 8:32 remaining with a 2-yard touchdown run that was set up by a 60-yard pass from Hawkins to J.J. Hester. The 2-point conversion failed, leaving the Tigers ahead by five points.
Lewis then intercepted Thorne, who was making his return to the starting lineup after a two-game absence, and ran it all the way back with 4:06 left to play.
After a late Oklahoma field goal extended the visitors’ lead to six points, Thorne’s last-second pass came up short of the end zone.
Auburn finished the game with nearly 200 more yards of offense than Oklahoma.
“We didn’t play very well,” Venables said. “But we played amazingly when we needed to.”
Oklahoma: The Sooners’ slow offensive start, marked by a large number of injuries at wide receiver and inconsistent line play, continued Saturday. But Hawkins could provide a real spark going forward with his dual-threat ability alongside what has been a strong defense under Venables so far this season.
Auburn: Penalties, questionable clock management and empty scoring drives continue to haunt the Tigers, who have lost all three of their home games against power-conference opponents this season. Now Auburn will start the toughest stretch of its schedule with a losing record.
After a 22-yard run from Jarquez Hunter with a little more than 11 minutes remaining and a two-score lead, Thorne threw back-to-back incompletions before a run for no gain. That led to a missed 51-yard field goal.
The possession only took 1:31 off the clock, and it opened the door for Oklahoma’s rally.
Oklahoma will have a good chance to climb back into the Top 20 with this road comeback win.
Oklahoma: Has an off week before facing No. 1 Texas in Dallas on Oct. 12.
Auburn: Visits No. 2 Georgia next Saturday.
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Auburn wide receiver Malcolm Simmons catches a pass for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
