Cathy Stephens / Variety
Under an agreement reached last week between major studios and unions representing film crews, artificial intelligence can be used as a relatively unrestricted tool.
The International Theater Workers Union released details of the contract over the weekend, stipulating that workers can ask their employers to “consult” on the use of AI, that a committee will be set up to provide training in AI skills, and that the use of AI cannot be outsourced to non-union members.
The contract clarifies the “tools” analogy, providing that if employees use their own AI systems, they can charge a “kit rental fee,” just as they would for recording equipment or other employee-owned equipment.
But the terms of the contract make no provision for severance pay for workers who lose their jobs to AI. The contract does offer relatively limited protection in that regard, provided that employees are not forced to enter prompts that would take jobs away from other union members.
The role of AI was a major theme of last year’s strike by the Writers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America (SAG-AFTRA), which ultimately struck a deal that gave creators control over how AI is used and ensured they were compensated for its use.
IATSE’s terms are somewhat different, in part because the union negotiates on behalf of a wide range of workers, from hair stylists and boom operators to editors and cinematographers.
The provision offers one protection similar to the SAG-AFTRA agreement: IATSE workers must consent separately to AI scanning, and scanning will not be a condition of employment.
The union plans to hold several town hall meetings with members to answer questions ahead of the ratification vote.
Since negotiations began about four months ago, the union has made it clear that it sees AI as a tool that could potentially benefit workers.
“New technology can create new jobs,” Matt Loeb, the union’s international president, told Variety in February. “We’re hopeful that some of the efficiencies and benefits of AI can trickle down to flight attendants.”
Under the agreement, employers retain the right to ban employees from using AI in their work, but if they do allow its use, the employer will indemnify workers 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, as well as semi-annual meetings with studio groups, if necessary.
The AI ​​terms were resolved well before the end of negotiations last Tuesday. The final issues to be resolved were the source of funding for the benefit plan and the general wage increase.
The union successfully negotiated a 7% pay increase in the first year, followed by 4% and 3.5% raises in the following years. Health insurance and pension funds will also benefit from new streaming residuals. Overall, employers agreed to provide more than $700 million in increased funding for their plans to make up for significant shortfalls caused by the pandemic and two strikes.
In its summary of the agreement, the union said the deal stipulates that health care costs will not increase and health care benefits will not be cut for employees or their dependents.