As a seasoned Hollywood insider with decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a sense of admiration and solidarity for the ambitious unionization efforts by Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), Local 724, and Production Assistants United. The dedication and resolve demonstrated by these groups to organize production assistants across the country is truly inspiring.
A long-established union from the Hollywood scene is supporting a bold effort aimed at organizing production assistants in films and TV, a step that could significantly alter the way newcomers enter the creative industry.
The Los Angeles chapter of LiUNA (Laborers’ International Union of North America), specifically Local 724, is teaming up with a community organization called Production Assistants United to unionize a traditionally non-union position within the entertainment industry. As per Alex Aguilar Jr., the business manager at Local 724, this initiative aims to incorporate positions such as set production assistants, office production assistants, art production assistants, and other support roles (including assistants and production secretaries) into the union nationwide. These are typically entry-level creative roles that pay their membership fees to the union.
As a member of LiUNA, a union boasting approximately 1,800 active and retired gaming enthusiasts, I’m proud to be part of the team representing utility workers in the magical world of film and television. From electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and sheet metal workers at Universal Studios Hollywood, to billboard specialists with Outfront Media, we’re a diverse group contributing to various roles behind the scenes.
“Aguilar stated to The Hollywood Reporter during a union coalition-organized Labor Day parade in Wilmington, Los Angeles, that ‘they’ are much like us. He went on to explain that, similar to LiUNA, they take care of tasks that others find unappealing. In essence, they handle the work that many people simply choose not to do.”
Production assistants, while their duties can span a broad spectrum, are renowned for handling behind-the-scenes tasks that may not be glamorous but are essential on film and television sets. These tasks might include safeguarding locations, procuring food and drinks, and maintaining a quiet set environment. Notable filmmakers such as Paul Thomas Anderson, Barry Jenkins, and Bill Hader all gained early experience in their careers by working as production assistants.
As a passionate supporter, I’m thrilled about our Production Assistants United collaboration with LiUNA. This partnership is not just about us; it’s about the collective power we’ve built over the past year. It all started during the wave of labor actions in Hollywood – some of our founding members even crossed paths on picket lines during the actors’ and writers’ strikes. Now, this partnership brings us funding and educational resources to strengthen our cause even further.
Recognizing a valuable chance, production assistants saw an opening. Some initial team members were acquainted with television commercial production workers who had united with IATSE to form a union that very summer. As they traveled, IATSE had succeeded in getting TV commercial production assistants included in their new local chapter. This development created a slight but significant shift for production assistants in the film and television industry. “It was a major breakthrough for us as many thought organizing production assistants was unattainable,” remarked Ethan Ravens, a founding member of Production Assistants United. (Notably, The Animation Guild has been making strides in this area by actively organizing hundreds of production workers over the past two years.)
For approximately a year, organizers associated with Production Assistants United have been making phone calls, arranging Zoom town hall meetings, hosting events in various cities nationwide, and using Discord and Instagram to disseminate information about their endeavor. In March, LiUNA members approached the group at a crew solidarity event. “As they began to escalate their presence in Hollywood, particularly during the strikes,” explains Aguilar, “I became more attentive. I saw it as a chance not only for our Local to expand but also for them to receive more acknowledgment and respect.”
With LiUNA’s support, the team intends to assemble a nationwide list of active production assistants and assess their interest in this initiative. Their objective is to transform the working conditions for these assistants: they want to increase their wages (currently, these workers are typically paid minimum wage, according to group organizers), offer union-sponsored health insurance, set reasonable work turnaround times, and create procedures for addressing grievances.
The organizers aim to establish “career progression routes” for production assistants, asserts Clio Byrne-Gudding, one of the founding members. This represents the most comprehensive and long-term goal for this union, she adds. In essence, their ambition is to ensure that anyone aspiring to enter this field, regardless if they aim to remain a PA or aspire to become a filmmaker in another capacity, have access to all necessary resources. They are determined to make the industry more inclusive, breaking down barriers so it’s no longer exclusively for rich, white men with able bodies. In simpler terms, they want to transform this industry from its roots upwards.
The team admits they’re intensifying their organizational efforts when significant film studios in Hollywood are reducing expenses and scaling back production work in L.A., which hasn’t fully recovered yet. However, they remain optimistic that they will ultimately manage to establish a union for production assistants, despite the challenges they and their peers face due to the ongoing industry contraction. Ravens expresses, “This is a fresh phase in our organizing journey with the power of LiUNA behind us. We are absolutely convinced that we’ll secure our union.”
According to Byrne-Gudding, “It might not be apparent right now, but we will prevail and bring about a significant transformation in this sector.”
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2024-09-03 03:54