As is common knowledge, last year saw two strikes - WGA and SAG-AFRA - do numbers on Hollywood and the American film industry as a whole. And 2024 has a potential strike bubbling away in background.
I know that these strikes were hard on people. And that sucked. Nor do I think that should be swept under the rug. But...
I still think that IATSE should strike. Why ? Because while the 2023 strikes have created some certainties for the future, our world is a rapidly changing place. Especially in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
And then there is the matter of the Bob Igers of the world, with their giant egos. Yes, the strikes forced them to bend the knee to the unions. But give them a successful box office years in 2024 and 2025 and by the time the next negotiations roll around, they will be just as selfish and arrogant as they were last year. Even more so if they are possession of next-level AI programs that will allow Hollywood to replace people with software like you and I change socks. (And I have a LOT of socks.)
Not only would any agreement resulting from the IATSE strike add certainties and safeguards against AI (and people getting sacked), the strike itself would result in productions getting shut-down (or at least experiencing major issues). Does that mean more hard times ? Yes. Does that suck ? Absolutely, totally, two-hundred percent. If I could think of another way, would I be for that ? Yes.
But I can't think of one. Not without things being much worse during the next negotiations. Or to summarize, If IATSE doesn't strike..."The bill comes due." (Karl Mordo, Dr Strange)
Regards,
Ruben A. Hilbers (aka Commander Nash)
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