Directors Guild Of Canada BC Resumes Film & TV Contract Talks With AMPTP & Canadian Producers Association – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: The Directors Guild of Canada BC has returned to the digital bargaining desk with the AMPTP and the Canadian Media Producers Association in an try to achieve an settlement on a brand new movie and TV contract. “The DGC BC and the negotiating producers continue to bargain this week, meeting virtually,” the guild stated in a press release.

The British Columbia department of the DGC issued a 72-hour “strike notice” on April 26 after members voted overwhelmingly to authorize a “strike mandate” (92.2% in favor) on April 8.

But due to a quirk in Canadian labor legislation, the guild by no means was capable of name for a piece stoppage. That’s as a result of in 2008, the BC Labor Board imposed secure harbor agreements upon the business to offer for labor stability throughout collective bargaining. Because of that, each movie and TV present that was in manufacturing in British Columbia when the strike discover was issued had already signed a secure harbor settlement, permitting them to go on capturing so long as they abided by its phrases. If and when a collective bargaining settlement is finally reached, they’ll need to abide by its phrases as nicely.

AMPTP Warns Directors Guild Of Canada That Ongoing Strike Authorization Vote In British Columbia May Force Companies To “Re-Evaluate” Filming There

Three days after the strike discover was issued, the guild stated that “no further safe harbor agreements have been signed. All productions currently filming in BC have safe harbor protection. Any production that has signed and complies with the terms of a safe harbor agreement is protected from labor action. Labor action can be implemented any time after 3:10 pm today on productions not covered by safe harbor agreements. All labor action will be decided upon and coordinated by the DGC BC.”

Filming isn’t affected anyplace else in Canada. In Toronto, which like British Columbia can also be a serious filming vacation spot, administrators and their crews are represented by a distinct DGC district council, which has its personal separate contracts.

According to the guild, the important thing points that stay excellent embody:
• Minimum wage differentials: as minimal wage will increase, so ought to all wage charges of lower-paid positions.
• Payment phrases for Covid testing.
• Retroactivity of wage will increase to the expiry of the final collective settlement.
• The negotiating producers’ calls for for additional concessions

Those points, the guild stated, “primarily impact the lowest paid and most vulnerable positions.” The DGC BC represents administrators, 2nd unit administrators, and manufacturing and unit managers, plus these employed in varied assistant director and places departments, in addition to entry-level manufacturing assistants.