IATSE union talks with US low-budget producers about on-set harassment

The groups will form a committee to examine the deployment of the Respect on Set program, developed recently by the Hollywood Commission under their 2025 low budget agreement for films with budgets under $15m. The programme includes a suite services that help employers create workplaces without harassment or discrimination. The Hollywood Commission, headed by Anita Hill (a lawyer and academic), released its first report in 2020 on sexual harassment and equal treatment in the film industry. The Commission’s recent surveys reveal that, compared to their counterparts in major studios, workers on low-budget productions are more likely to experience sexual coercion and abuse and higher rates of gender and race bias. However they report these abuses less formally. The Hollywood Commission’s executive director Malia Arringer will chair the new subcommittee. IATSE will begin negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers next month over a new Basic Agreement and Area Standard Agreement. The current agreements expire July 31. Hill, of the Hollywood Commission, commented on the harassment and discrimination discussions between IATSE, and low budget producers. “It’s very significant that producers and IATSE added this plank into their agreement: employers are now aware of their obligations to provide a workplace that is free of harassment and abuse. The Hollywood Commission is ready to assist them with a program that offers a suite of resources. Workers and executives tell us all the time that there is a great need for an independent reporting program designed specifically for low-budget productions. These productions lack the infrastructure necessary to maintain robust enforcement protocols. Respect on Set fills this void.”