IATSE is hoping to wrap up bargaining a brand new contract with the studios by June 27, after adding an additional week of talks to the schedule.
The union announced Monday that it would restart negotiations on each the Basic Agreement and the Area Standards Agreement on June 24, allotting 4 more days to shut each deals.
“We stay up for concluding our bargaining with the AMPTP and reaching an agreement that our members will probably be proud to ratify,” Matt Loeb, the international president, said in an announcement.
Negotiators have reached agreement on several subjects, including provisions covering the usage of artificial intelligence and subcontracting. But the main “economic” issues have yet to be resolved, including overall wage increases and funding a $670 million gap within the pension and health plans.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees contract is about to run out on July 31. The union has said that it would not extend that deadline, and hopes to have the contracts ratified by that date.
The union covers about 50,000 employees under its Basic Agreement, and one other 20,000 under the Area Standards Agreement, which covers 23 local unions scattered across the country.
Talks on the Basic Agreement have already been prolonged once, with three extra days added to the schedule last week. Those talks went late into the night last Wednesday, before negotiators decided to interrupt off and return at a later date.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers now has to juggle talks with IATSE and with the Teamsters and other Basic Crafts unions, which began their talks on Monday morning.
The Basic Crafts contract can also be set to run out on July 31.
