NEW YORK, NY — The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) signed onto a UNI Media, Entertainment & Arts (UNI MEI) letter standing in solidarity with the Trade Union for Theatre and Media Finland (TEME) as Finnish film and TV workers prepare to launch a strike action on March 8. The full letter can be accessed here.

In the letter, UNI MEI, representing 140 member unions globally including IATSE, calls on the Finnish employer association ‘PALTA’ to “return to the negotiating table in good faith and reach a fair settlement that respects the contributions and well-being of Finland’s film and TV production workers.” This comes after the employer association refused to apply Finland’s general wage increase standards to film and TV production workers, effectively hindering their wage progression while expecting them to shoulder industry challenges. Click here to read UNI MEI’s Press Release.

As the largest entertainment union in the United States and Canada, IATSE is a proud affiliate of UNI Global Union, which represents over 20 million workers across 150 countries. IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb, who also serves as President of UNI MEI commented, “In today’s multinational film and television production climate, supporting the labor standards of entertainment workers worldwide aligns with IATSE members’ strategic interests. By standing in solidarity with unions like TEME, we can ensure fair pay, safe working conditions, and respect for workers’ rights are upheld universally, creating a level playing field and lifting up all professionals in our industry.”

IATSE joins UNI MEI in urging PALTA to engage constructively with TEME to reach a fair settlement that acknowledges and respects the contributions of Finland’s film and TV production workers.