âSaturday Night Liveâ Post-Production Editors Set Potential Strike Date
Saturday Night Live’s post-production editors are ready to strike if their demands aren’t met by April 1.
According to Variety, 12 to 20 editing crew members for the long-running sketch show plan to go on strike if the NBCUniversal doesn’t respond appropriately to their concerns regarding pay inequity and health insurance.
Negotiations have been happening between the broadcast company and the Motion Picture Editors Guild – part of IATSE Local 700 – since October 2022, and the union has yet to receive a contract that guarantees the crew members equal pay and benefits.
“SNL’s editorial team is paid far below industry standards. Assistant Editors receive just a fraction of what their counterparts on union shows earn. After months of negotiations, NBCU still hasn’t agreed to address the crew’s concerns, or even to guarantee maintenance of current health benefits,” tweeted the Editors Guild.
The union continued to criticize NBCU for “saying no” to their “reasonable proposals” and being “behind industry standards.” MPEG also stated that the broadcast company “claims” they want to reach an agreement, but have yet to commit to an action plan.
“We’re nearing the end of the season and talks drag on. In refusing to agree to retroactive wage increases, management expects the workers to pay for NBCU’s delays. Beyond that, NBCU has insisted on an egregious ‘management’s rights’ clause that would strip union employees of their right to negotiate over workplace rules and policies,” explained the union.
“NBCU has refused fair compensation, refused to commit to maintaining existing health benefits, and refused to show SNL’s post crew the respect they deserve.” (Variety has reported that NBC is “committed to closing the negotiations by the end of the month.”)
MPEG went on to clarify that the editorial team “does not book talent, write scripts, or have any control over the kind of content given to them,” however they do cut and edit the clips for broadcast.
Talks of the impending strike grew in popularity in the closing segment of the Feb. 4 episode where cast members, including Colin Jost, donned “Contract Now” shirts in support.
Variety received a statement from Alan Heim, president of the Motion Picture Editors Guild, which reads: “Strikes are not funny, and it’s also not funny that NBCU is driving us to take this step to guarantee fair pay and benefits for our members.”
Heim continues, “The fact is that these workers play a key role in making SNL the comedy institution that it is and they deserve the same standards as other workers on the show have.” The guild president also expressed gratitude for “the outpouring of support” from other behind the scenes staff and cast members on the show.