Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538125
MPEG AND ICG TEAM UP FOR IATSE BID ON U.S. TAX INCENTIVES FOR INDUSTRY 13 F A L L Q 3 I S S U E A R O U N D T H E G U I L D By A.J. Catoline Every four years, delegates from more than 360 IATSE locals across the United States and Canada gather to shape the future of their union. This year's IATSE Convention — the union's highest govern- ing body — was scheduled to take place July 28 to August 1 in Honolulu, with events and sessions to take place at the Sheraton Waikiki and nearby venues. There, the Motion Picture Editors Guild and the International Cinematographers Guild planned to push the parent union to fight for federal tax incentives to boost U.S. film and TV production. On the heels of celebrating the recent win of doubling California's tax credit in- centive program to $750 million for keeping film and TV production in the state, IATSE members are now setting their sights on the U.S. government to step up and support the industry. Since California Governor Gavin New- som signed the film and TV tax bill into law on July 3, the state film commission reported granting awards to nearly 48 new productions which could create about 6500 cast and crew jobs. Yet many production and post-produc- tion jobs remain overseas, and the unions think they could be lured back with tax credits beyond what is given in California, New York, Georgia, and other states. Acco rd i n g to m e m b e r- d e l e gate s o f IATSE Locals 600 and 700, the resolution sounds the alarm bell of an "urgent threat from overseas competition." "Foreign governments have success- fully lured film and television productions and post-production, and the multitude of jobs they create, away from the United States with aggressive tax incentives and subsidies," the resolution states. "IATSE workers... are paying the price… and have lost thousands of jobs across the United States." IATSE members intended to put the matter to a vote at the convention scheduled to convene in late July. While the resolution is non-binding, it does put the issue on the agenda and urges all IATSE leadership to lobby elected officials and push for federal policy to boost the industry. In President Donald Trump's May 5 social media post, he suggested — without specifics — the imposition of a "100% tar- iff" on movies "produced in Foreign Lands [sic]." IATSE members read this as an opening to engage. "The United States needs a balanced fed- eral response to return film and television jobs," International President Matthew D. Loeb said in response, suggesting a solution could come from tax legislation instead. "IATSE recommended that the Trump administration implement a federal film production tax incentive and other domes- tic tax provisions to level the playing field for American workers," Loeb said. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) criticized Trump's blanket and unspecified tariff pro- posal and said it would have "unintended and potentially damaging impacts" on the U.S. film industry. But Schiff supported the overall goal of helping the industry and its workers. "I share the administration's desire to bring moviemaking back to the United States," said Schiff. "We have an opportuni- ty to work together to pass a major federal film tax credit to re-shore American jobs in the industry. I welcome the opportunity to work with the administration and my Republican colleagues to pass a globally competitive federal film incentive to bring back runaway production." As of press deadline, the resolution was scheduled to be submitted for an initial vote during several of the IATSE District conventions on Sunday, July 27, and then presumably will head to the floor of the full Quadrennial convention later in the week. Local 729 (Motion Picture Set Paint- ers & Sign Writers) and Local 871 (Script Supervisors/Continuity, Coordinators, Accountants and Allied Production Special- ists Guild) also signed on to co-sponsor the resolution, which was expected to pass. The IATSE planned to hold a series of craft-specific caucuses throughout the week, and delegates from the Hollywood locals were to attend the Motion Picture and Television Production Caucus where they would lobby on behalf of the resolution and urge other local delegates to engage their memberships to join in the campaign. That type of civic action might be need- ed again, this time with IATSE members engaging their members of Congress, if a federal policy program to support the film and TV industry is to become a reality. ■