Unless an agreement is reached with NBCUniversal, the post-production editors working on “Saturday Night LIve,” are ready to strike.
The 12 to 20 person editing crew have announced they plan to halt work on April 1st, should bargaining sessions continue to stall.
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The group has organized with the Motion Picture Editors Guild, and is a part of IATSE Local 700. They are seeking to rectify perceived pay inequities, and for an increase in health benefits.
“Saturday Night Live” editors are paid less than similar positions in the entertainment industry, with Variety reporting that “assistant editors at “SNL,” for instance, make hourly wages that represent only a fraction of the industry-standard minimum rate for assistant editors on union shows.”
While NBCUniversal (CCZ) has offered annual increases, they reportedly do not compensate for the rising cost of living. NBCUniversal has also advocated for a two-tiered health insurance system that reportedly could result in reduced benefits for future editors.
A Management Rights Clause Is Receiving Pushback
The union has stated that in addition to advocating for pay and health benefits, it objects to the wording of a “management’s rights” that it believes “would strip union employees of their right to negotiate over workplace rules & policies.”
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, “employers often push for management’s rights clauses in labor contracts, which assert their right to make unilateral changes in the workplace.”
The union claims that NBCUnivesal has not yet agreed to retroactive wage increases for delayed contract negotiations, and it has not agreed to “maintenance of current health benefits.”
In a series of tweets, the workers, represented by the MPEG (Editors Guild) said “NBCU has refused fair compensation, refused to commit to maintaining existing health benefits, & refused to show SNL’s post crew the respect they deserve.”
They added, “NBCU wants to shut us up – so we will yell louder. Plan to join us on the picket line April 1st.”
