Headline, Industry News

ACTRA wants to avoid a strike

TORONTO, Nov. 2 /CNW/ – ACTRA Chief Negotiator Stephen Waddell has called on the producer association (CFTPA) to work with government appointed mediators and ACTRA to reach a fair film and television agreement.

"ACTRA wants to avoid a strike and that is exactly why we applied for conciliation," stated Stephen Waddell, "Unfortunately, the CFTPA has a horrible record of not getting contracts negotiated and ratified in our industry. One has only to look at their lack of success with the other unions."

Last winter ACTRA asked the CFTPA to provide dates so that bargaining on the new Independent Production Agreement could begin as early as March, 2006. The CFTPA failed to provide dates until October. The current agreement expires on December 31, 2006.

"The CFTPA has backed negotiations up against a wall and they continue to play games about their willingness and availability to meet with a conciliation officer. Their bizarre statements about ACTRA wanting to go on strike and their attempts to block conciliation are creating instability in the industry," said Waddell. 

To maintain stability in the industry ACTRA has offered a continuation letter to the CFTPA which would allow production to continue after the agreement expires. Waddell added, "We are hoping that cooler heads will prevail at the CFTPA – that they will take us up on our offer of a continuation letter and get down to serious bargaining."