All Aboard the Union Train! A New Union is in the Works!
Wow! From out of the clouds we get the news this morning that a new producers’ union is in the works. This is truly a bananas development for someone like myself. I know relatively little about bargaining agreements and unions, but I do understand that Hollywood has typically had relatively strong unions in the WGA, DGA, and SAG-AFTRA. These labor unions are in place primarily to keep protect writers, directors, actors from getting screwed over with crappy pay and benefits. Now producers, on the other hand typically havn’t had such protections. Sure, they have the PGA, but it isn’t a labor union that can protect pay and benefits. Back in a 1974 court case, it was determined that the PGA can’t be a labor union since producers weren’t considered employees. While that may have been more of the case back in 1974, producers nowadays sure seem like employees. Sure they have managerial duties in terms of managing other cast and crew members, but they are often employed themselves by financiers. During COVID, many producers were hit hard by the lack of union and the benefits and protections that come with being in one. That is why several producers took it upon themselves to form a new union that would actually support its members during difficult times.
“More than 100 indie feature filmmakers have unanimously ratified its constitution, and more than 300 have signed letters of intent to join. “After decades of working without basic protections, low and/or inconsistent wages, no employer healthcare contributions and an industry insistence that they should work for free to demonstrate their commitment, film producers are taking a stand,” organizers said in a statement.”
Rebecca Green and Chris Moore have led the charge on this endeavor to form the Producers Union. The PGA is supporting this push for an actual collective bargaining entity, given the PGA itself is simply a trade association. The main goal of the Producers Union is to become a supervisory union – which is a group of people who can collectively bargain, but acknowledge that they have some management role, but they’re still employees. Despite having supervisory responsibilities, producers are simply looking for some of the same protections other entertainment employees get. This all sounds good to me. Could there be consequences to the industry from this? Sure, but that is above my pay-grade for the time being.