NBC Universal‘s long-running sketch comedy staple, Saturday Night Live, will not be facing a strike by the show’s post-production editorial crew, consisting of around 20 employees, as they have reached a tentative agreement with NBC.
In the show’s 50-year history, there hasn’t been a debilitating strike that has caused an episode to be cancelled.
For just over a month, the editorial workers had been threatening to strike before the April 1 show, which will be hosted by Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson.
The Motion Picture Editors Guild, representing roughly 9,000 post-production professionals, kicked off a fresh round of negotiations with NBC Universal last week. Previously, NBC had agreed to resolve the labor dispute by the end of the month, but things were worked out much quicker than originally planned or expected.
Ahead of a three-year deal, the tentative agreement will give pay increases of up to 60%. It also includes ratification bonuses, healthcare benefits, guarantees of employer-paid meals, transportation, and hotel accommodations for employees working long shifts with short turnarounds.
“We are thrilled to have reached this tentative deal,” said Cathy Repola, National Executive Director of Motion Picture Editors Guild. “Thanks to the tremendous resolve of the crew, we reached a deal that represents real achievement in each of the areas our members identified as key, including dramatic improvements in wages. We’ll defer detailed public discussion of the terms until after our negotiators have had a chance to meet with the full crew to review the deal and hold a ratification vote.”
