Somewhat over a month after reaching a tentative settlement with administration, unionized ushers on the Hollywood Pantages Theatre have ratified their first labor contract.
Thirty-eight union members voted “sure” on the proposed pact whereas 13 voted “no” in a vote that occurred on Monday, the ushers’ union IATSE B-192 shared with The Hollywood Reporter. The three-year settlement, which covers 70-odd employees,is retroactive to April 1 and can expire on March 28, 2027.
Citing dialog with coworkers about how they beforehand struggled to get by on “poverty” wages, usher and negotiations committee member Rachel Oshiro stated, “I’m hopeful that this transformation won’t solely assist my coworkers really feel extra financially safe, however really feel assured of their work/employment shifting ahead.”
THR has reached out to the Hollywood Pantages Theatre for remark.
The brand new settlement will elevate base wages for the ushers from $16.78 an hour to $20 an hour instantly, with compensation rising to $21.50 an hour within the final 12 months of the contract. (Ushers who do VIP room check-in, work as trainers and/or in viewers companies will obtain a $1 an hour improve on that pay price.) It gives time and a half pay for employees who’re on responsibility on holidays and extra pay in the event that they work seven consecutive days in a row or three shifts in in the future. The brand new deal institutes bereavement pay, a minimal name assure, a clothes stipend, language round name cancellations and a grievance and arbitration process.
The Hollywood Pantages ushers unionized in April 2023 after demonstrating majority assist for becoming a member of IATSE B-192 in a Nationwide Labor Relations Board election vote. Contract negotiations started that summer time and concluded with a tentative settlement in March 2024. Past ushers on the Hollywood Pantages, IATSE B-192 additionally represents park staff at Common Studios Hollywood and tour guides at Dodger Stadium.
All West Coast IATSE Locals have now reached tentative agreements with studios and streamers on their craft-specific points.
The remaining two Locals of the crew union that had but to cement provisional agreements, the propmakers’ and set decorators’ union Native 44 and the studios lecturers’ union Native 884, reached their offers on Thursday and the prior Friday, IATSE introduced. They be part of 11 different West Coast unions that beforehand hashed out agreements, that are nonetheless topic to a ratification vote by members, since bargaining over these Native-specific contracts started in March.
“Our locals’ craft-specific points required the employers’ consideration, and on the desk we’re seeing improved engagement and dialogue,” IATSE vp Mike Miller mentioned in an announcement. “That signifies the studios’ negotiators have completely different marching orders this contract cycle. This method might be useful as we proceed our negotiations over the subsequent few weeks.”
IATSE’s basic negotiations over its Fundamental Settlement — which covers the 13 West Coast Locals — will restart on April 29 and are presently scheduled to proceed till Might 16. These negotiations will deal with hot-button points together with office situations, wages, well being and pension contributions and the regulation of AI.
As THR beforehand reported, IATSE is particularly trying to make “comparable and proportionate features” in residuals that measure as much as the brand new performance-based streaming bonuses that SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America secured after their strikes in 2023. The union can be looking for to impose larger monetary penalties for lengthy work days and/or missed break intervals and desires to limit subcontractors from allegedly doing work coated beneath its contract.
As its basic negotiations resume, IATSE has additionally scheduled a rally and march on Might 1 to happen in Hollywood. A solidarity car-painting occasion can be schedule for Saturday on the Costume Designers Guild in Burbank.
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