Hollywood Celebrities Rally in Support of IATSE Union Amid Looming Strike

Rich Fury; Mike Coppola; Amy Sussman; Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Rich Fury; Mike Coppola; Amy Sussman; Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Paul Bois

Hollywood celebrities from Seth Rogen to Ben Stiller have voiced support for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) as the major union prepares to potentially strike should they fail to reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

As talks between IATSE — which represents below-the-line industry talent — and AMPTP continue to break down, a strike seems all the more likely as the voting deadline of October 1 looms ever closer.

Should the strike be made official on October 4, the film and television industry will be brought to a near standstill — a display unseen since the writer’s strike of 2007.

Leading up to the vote, several other unions — SAG, DGA, Teamsters — have voiced support for IATSE, whose workers demand shorter working hours and allotted time for meal breaks among a litany of grievances.

Individual celebrities, most of whom publicly support leftist causes, have vocally backed IATSE, hailing the collection of craftsmen, artisans, and crewmembers as the lifeblood of the film and television industry.

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