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Hollywood’s Labor Leaders Issue Joint Statement Of Solidarity With DGA As Its Contract Talks Enter Final Week

The leaders of the Writers Guild, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE and the Teamsters have issued a “joint statement of solidarity” with the Directors Guild in its final scheduled week of contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, saying that they “stand alongside our sisters, brothers, and kin in the DGA in their pursuit of a fair contract.” Their statement comes on the 30th day of the ongoing WGA strike and 21 days after the DGA began its contract talks with the AMPTP.

“We believe in a Hollywood where every worker is valued and their contributions recognized, whether their labor is on or off screen,” the labor leaders said. “A fair contract for directors does not benefit just a select few; it uplifts every worker in the film and television industry and acknowledges the interconnected nature of our work. We call on the AMPTP to immediately negotiate a fair agreement that addresses the Directors Guild of America’s unique priorities in good faith.

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“As eyes around the world again turn towards the negotiation table, we send a clear message to the AMPTP: Our solidarity is not to be underestimated. The Hollywood guilds and unions stand united, and we stand strong.”

The statement was signed “in solidarity” by WGA West President Meredith Stiehm; WGA East president Michael Winship; SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, IATSE International President Matthew Loeb, and Teamsters Local 399 Local 399 Secretary-Treasurer Lindsay Dougherty, who is also director of the Teamsters’ Motion Picture Division and Western Region vice president.

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO, which is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members, also joined the chorus of support for the DGA’s efforts to secure a fair contract.

“DPE stands with DGA members negotiating with the AMPTP for a fair contract that recognizes directors’ and directorial teams’ role in the success of the entertainment industry,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, DGA members – like all creative professionals who help create the content that pulls in billions in profit for film and television producers – deserve a fair return on their work. DPE stands shoulder to shoulder with DGA in their push for a contract that increases wages to address inflation, includes residuals gains that reflect an increasingly international industry, strengthens healthcare and pension benefits, creates safer sets, and improves diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

The DGA began its contract talks on May 10, nine days after the WGA went on strike. The DGA talks have until June 7 to reach a deal because that’s when SAG-AFTRA is scheduled to begin its negotiations with the AMPTP. The DGA and SAG-AFTRA contracts both expire June 30.

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