The post-production staff at Vice Media have approved a new three-year IATSE contract that cuts their weekly work hours without reducing their weekly wages.
After months of negotiations, in a meeting on Saturday, 97 percent of Vice Media’s eligible employees voted in favor of the deal, which would reduce the previous standard workweek of 50 hours to 50 hours. 40 hour workweeks. IATSE Local 700, the Motion Picture Editors Association, on behalf of approximately 100 employees and freelance post-production workers based at the company’s Brooklyn headquarters and working in the television industry, Digital video and broadcast news without minutes. The association announced the ratification of the deal on Sunday.
“Behind every piece of screen content are hundreds of talented employees who are losing sleep and having a good time with their loved ones.” Vice News Tonight Editor and negotiating committee member Ilaria Polsonetti said in a statement. “Enough of this talk for today, there may be another way of doing things in film and television. I hope what we have achieved here can be a stepping stone to regaining a healthier work-life balance that is so much needed in our industry. ” The Hollywood Reporter Have reached out to Vice Media for comment.
While a reduction in weekly working hours without a reduction in weekly pay would result in higher hourly wages for everyone, another key feature of the agreement, the Guild said, is that employees are The lowest pay of the unit will get a higher salary increase (8% increase to net weekly salary guaranteed). The minimum hourly rate increases stated in the contract range from 8.1 percent for the unit’s highest-paid role to 48.4 percent for the lowest-paid role. Employees covered on the contract will also receive a $750 approval bonus.
“We are delighted that at VICE we have a bargaining partner who realizes that clock off times are critical to the health of workers,” said Editors Country CEO. Guild, Cathy Repola, who led the negotiations on behalf of the union with Vice Media, said in a statement. She added that she hopes the deal will set a “precedent” and said, “Other employers in our industry should look forward to providing their employees with healthy and sustainable working hours.” strength that our members at VICE will now enjoy.”
Work-life balance was also a key issue during IATSE’s Basic Agreement negotiations last summer and fall, which resulted in the union securing a vote to allow the strike. unprecedented and ultimately narrowly ratified an agreement with the employer. In December, the Writers Guild East approved a new contractual agreement with Vice Media that includes 160 workers. The contract will increase the minimum wage to $63,000 at the end of the three-year term and provide minimum annual increases ranging from 3 to 3.75 percent.
