Twinning, a new reality-competition show focusing on idential twins, is currently in production for VH1. After production and post-production employees on the non-union show signed cards authorizing the IATSE to negotiate on their behalf, an agreement was reached with Lighthearted Entertainment to produce Twinning as a union show. Like several other recent agreements, the union contract for Twinning was negotiated amicably, without any disruption to the show's production or post-production schedules.
The IATSE contract for Twinning will provide Motion Picture Industry health and pension contributions to all covered employees on the production and post-production crews. The show's assistant editors will see dramatic increases in wages, as will employees on the production crew who had been hired at rates well below those in the IATSE Videotape Agreement.
The Editors Guild salutes all those on the production and post crews of Twinning who stood up to improve their jobs. Such organizing not only yields immediate improvements in terms of employment, but also brings us closer to a future in which those working in unscripted television can reliably expect the same standards their counterparts in scripted television have long enjoyed.
If you are employed on a non-union production or at a non-union post facility, talk to an Editors Guild organizer about winning a contract at your employer. The Guild's organizing hotline is 818.925.MPEG.