Directors Guild Canada Continues Film and TV Contract Negotiations with BC, AMPTP and Producers Guild of Canada

Special: The Directors Guild of Canada has returned to the virtual negotiating table with AMPTP and the Canadian Media Producers Association to agree on a new film and television contract. “DGC BC and negotiators are meeting virtually this week and continue to negotiate,” the union said in a statement.

The British Columbia branch of the DGC issued a 72-hour “strike warning” on April 26, after members voted “to strike” in large numbers (92.2%) on April 8.

But due to the strangeness of Canadian labor law, the union was never able to file a dismissal request. This is because in 2008 the BC Labor Board enacted safe harbor agreements with industry to ensure job stability during collective bargaining. Therefore, when the strike was declared, all movies and TV shows being made in British Columbia signed a safe harbor agreement that allowed them to continue filming as long as they adhered to their terms. If a collective bargaining agreement is eventually reached, they too must comply with its terms.

AMPTP warns the Directors Association of Canada that a vote to authorize an ongoing strike in British Columbia could force companies to roll over there.

Three days after the strike was announced, the union said it had “no further agreement on the safe harbor”. Currently every game filmed in BC has a safe harbor watchdog. Any production that has signed the Safe Harbor Agreement and complies with its terms is protected from working action. For products not covered by the safe harbor agreement, a business action can always be taken after 15:10. All work activities will be resolved and coordinated by DGC BC.”

Shooting in Canada does not affect anywhere else. Like British Columbia, Toronto, which is also a filming location, has the directors and their crews represented on another DGC district council with their own separate contracts.

According to the guild, the key issues that remain unresolved are:
• Minimum Wage Differences: As the minimum wage increases, all wages in low-wage jobs increase.
• Payment terms for Covid tests.
• Salary reimbursement increases before the last collective bargaining agreement expires.
• Demand for more concessions from negotiating producers

These problems “mainly affect the most vulnerable and lowest paid positions,” the union said. DGC BC represents entry-level production assistants as well as directors, division 2 directors and unit and production managers, as well as those in departments and assistant managers.