Editors and other workers on America’s Next Top Model and World Poker Tour, two popular reality shows organized earlier this year by the Motion Picture Editors Guild, have started working under International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees contracts, following a recent round of successful negotiations between Local 700 and the programs’ producers. The agreement concluded between the Editors Guild and 10 x 10 Entertainment, the producer of Model, a prime time hit for the UPN unit of CBS, provides the show’s editors and their assistants with the benefits of working under an IA contract. In addition, IATSE Local 700 struck a deal on behalf of the entire postproduction staff at World Poker Tour Enterprises, who edit The Tour—a hit for The Travel Channel. Editors on the upcoming Professional Poker Tour are also covered. Both crews will receive health insurance and retirement benefits through the Motion Picture Industry Plans.“These two contracts are part of our ongoing effort to organize everything editorial in Hollywood,” said Ronald G. Kutak, executive director of the Editor’s Guild. “This isn’t some gimmick, some publicity stunt,” he added referring obliquely to the high-profile campaign launched earlier this year by the Writers Guild of America to organize editors on reality shows, because they function as “storytellers.” So far the effort hasn’t yielded anything substantive. “We achieved something here that will produce real results for editors and their families,” Kutak declared.Combined, the two contracts will cover nearly 40 employees. Both campaigns were begun earlier in the year as IATSE/Editors Guild began a more aggressive effort to organize in reality television. The initiative has been extremely successful to date, and has brought reality television giants Mark Burnett Productions and Endemol to the negotiating table with IATSE.
Written by Jack Egan
