In 2012, the unionization of production company Kirkstall Road Enterprises marked one of the initial successes for the writers’ guild in the uncharted territory of reality TV. This was a time dominated by shows like Jersey Shore, Duck Dynasty, and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Although it was a relatively small workforce, the achievement at The First 48‘s producer served as a milestone for the Writers Guild of America East as they aimed to expand their influence into nonfiction programming.
More than a dozen years have passed, but these workers are yet to secure their first union contract. The same predicament holds true for employees at another ITV America subsidiary, Leftfield Pictures (known for shows like “Pawn Stars” and “Alone”), who only unionized much later in 2015. Now, as it’s showing new momentum in nonfiction productions following a history of delays, the Writers Guild East is intensifying its efforts once again.
On Thursday, a petition signed by approximately 500 union members, including filmmaker Robert Eggers of Nosferatu fame, Mary Harron who penned American Psycho, and Bryan Tucker from Saturday Night Live, was handed over to ITV management. The petition urges ITV America to address stalled contracts promptly. Furthermore, it states that prolonged delays, proposals that deviate from industry norms, and disregard for crucial suggestions do not align with the company’s professed values.
As a dedicated gamer, I’ve been keeping tabs on some behind-the-scenes drama. Back on February 13th, the WGA East (Writers Guild of America East) leveled an unfair labor practice charge at Leftfield. The claim? They didn’t negotiate in good faith. Now, we’re all waiting for a verdict from the National Labor Relations Board to see how this unfolds.
ITV America has been negotiating sincerely and intends to keep doing so, as they’ve already come to an agreement with the Guild on numerous points. They further mentioned that while the Writers Guild of America sometimes discusses these matters in the media, they believe that discussions about the negotiation process and resolving open issues should take place at the bargaining table itself.
After the 2007 writers’ strike, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) shifted its focus towards reality television. This was because companies could easily produce cheaper and faster nonfiction content when scripted show writers refused to work. On the West Coast, the WGA West represents workers for shows like “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and more recently unionized “Ridiculousness”. The WGA’s East Coast counterpart has gone even further, organizing production companies such as Lion TV, Sharp Entertainment, NBC News Service (formerly Peacock), and Vice. These efforts have been intensified in recent times.
2023 saw the ITV campaign reignite as remote workforces in postproduction were asked to return to the office following pandemic-induced arrangements. Previously based in Manhattan, ITV America shifted certain operations to Stamford, Connecticut, which sparked apprehensions among Kirkstall workers regarding commuting distances, changes in tax and employment laws.
In May 2024, Kirkstall’s union and management will meet again for negotiations after a long hiatus since their previous unsuccessful attempt. As reported by the union, they have made some advancements on minor matters during these discussions, which are scheduled to continue on Thursday. However, the labor group alleges that the company remains resistant to changing its current policies regarding sick days, vacations, health insurance, and wages. Phil Andrews, the union’s deputy director for nonfiction and organizing, expressed, “A union contract that doesn’t lead to improvements in areas like paid time off, retirement, healthcare, wages, or anything else is simply unacceptable to us.
Meanwhile, at Leftfield, the WGA East asserts that they’ve been requesting bargaining dates for several months, but their requests have fallen on deaf ears – it’s said that the company hasn’t agreed to schedule any discussion times.
As a gamer, I’m part of a team fighting for better working conditions in our game studio. We’re aiming to boost our wages, secure annual increases, improve safety standards, revise the health insurance packages, and enhance retirement fund contributions with this, our first contract negotiation. Similarly, my fellow workers at Leftfield are looking to discuss minimum wage rates, raise possibilities, and changes in their health insurance plans, while also pushing for language that guarantees rehiring us from one season to another.
One employee from the postproduction department expresses concern, stating, “Our wages haven’t been adjusting proportionately with rising living costs.” He is passionate about his work and appreciates being part of the company. However, he finds it challenging when the company doesn’t seem to be making comparable investments in its employees as they are in the business itself.
ITV America asserted that the union’s account of the matter contained multiple untruths; THR has requested clarification on these points, but none have been given so far. The company further stated, “Amidst tough times in our industry, affecting networks, producers, and individuals differently, we will persist in our dialogue with the WGA and prioritize our staff.
In a departure from typical situations, Nelson Lichtenstein – a labor history specialist at the University of California Santa Barbara – finds this scenario somewhat unique. While it’s common for negotiations on an initial contract to be delayed, what usually follows is that the original workers become disheartened and move on after several months or a year. Alternatively, the company may opt to hold another election to revoke the union’s status. However, in this instance, the union remains intact, and the workers are resuming their efforts following a significant time lapse.
Andrews, who didn’t join the WGA East at its inception, explains that for a period, the union drive faced a decline in support among workers. He asserts that if the workforce isn’t fully committed and passionate about the cause, there’s little that can be done. However, he notes that recent victories of the WGA East have shifted this trend. In the last four years, six production companies have unionized, with two prominent documentary companies, Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions and Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan’s Story Syndicate, being among them. Half of these newly unionized companies have already negotiated their first contracts.
One member of the field crew at Kirkstall concurs that the recent surge of activities has rekindled enthusiasm for the ITV contracts. This individual expresses, “There’s a strong drive and movement happening currently in nonfiction programming, and ITV should seize this opportunity to spearhead it.” They further add, “We strongly believe they could serve as an inspiring model within the industry.
Even after over a decade, union advocates are adamant about not leaving anything to chance. A field crew worker expressed their hope that by vocalizing our concerns, the negotiating parties might expedite their discussions and refrain from introducing additional delays. This way, they can prevent us from resorting to more aggressive tactics.
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2025-03-06 23:25