IATSE agreement paves the way for the use of artificial intelligence as a tool

Artificial intelligence can be used as a tool, with relatively few restrictions, under the agreement struck last week between the major studios and the union representing film crews.

The International Alliance of Theater Stage Employees has been released further details of his contract this weekend. The deal stipulates that workers will be allowed to ask their employers for “consultations” on AI use, that a committee will be established to provide AI skills training, and that AI use cannot be outsourced to non-union workers.

Making the “tool” analogy explicit, the deal stipulates that if the employee uses their own AI system, they can charge a “kit rental fee” – the same as for audio recording equipment or other equipment owned by the employee.

But the terms do not provide for severance pay for employees who lose their jobs as a result of AI. The contract provides relatively limited protection in that regard, provided that no employee will be forced to enter directions that displace other union workers.

The role of AI was a major issue during last year’s strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. Ultimately, both unions struck deals that give creators control over how they use AI, and guarantees that AI use will be compensated.

The IATSE terms are slightly different, partly because the union negotiates on behalf of a wide range of disciplines – from hairstylists and boom operators to editors and cinematographers.

The terms do provide one protection that parallels the SAG-AFTRA deal: IATSE employees must provide separate consent for each AI scan, and scanning cannot be a condition of employment.

The union will host a series of town halls with members to answer questions ahead of the ratification vote.

From the start of the talks almost four months ago, the union has made it clear that it sees AI as a tool with potential benefits for workers.

“Sometimes new jobs are created with new technology,” said Matt Loeb, the union’s international president Variety in February. “My hope is that some of the efficiencies and/or benefits of AI will trickle down to the crews.”

Under the deal, employers retain the right to ban employees from using AI in their work. If they allow the use of AI, employers will indemnify employees from legal liability, except in cases of “gross negligence or willful misconduct.”

The agreement also provides for quarterly meetings with individual employers to discuss AI, and semi-annual meetings with the studio group, as needed.

The AI ​​conditions were resolved last Tuesday well before the end of negotiations. The final issues to fall into place were the funding streams for the benefit plans and overall wage increases.

The union managed to negotiate a 7% increase in the first year, followed by increases of 4% and 3.5%. And the healthcare and pension funds will benefit from new flowing residual flows. In total, employers agreed to provide more than $700 million in increased funding for the plans, to cover a significant shortfall caused by the pandemic and the twin strikes.

The deal stipulates that there will be no increases in health care costs for employees or their dependents, and no reductions in health benefits, the union said in its summary of terms.