IATSE Strike Could Shut Down Hollywood -- Thoughts from a Guild Exec

I received a message from a guild executive that I just can't keep to myself. Hollywood is in full freak-out mode as they wrangle with the possibility of another strike at the same time theater chains could start going under (and due to Hollywood's own bad decisions). Another strike would spell utter doom for the industry; thus the strikers would have all the leverage in the world. 

For the sake of understanding what is on the horizon (and the trades are too afraid to report on lest they fan the flames), the IATSE is the guild of "everybody else". If you're not DGA, WGA, SAG-AFTRA... you're IATSE. So here's what a guild exec sent my way that I thought you would enjoy:

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Been thinking about the very real potential for the IATSE to take the town down again on Aug. 1, what it will do to the immediate schedules we're dealing with re, for one instance, Mando movie, but larger to the economy. 

I am also thinking about how all the casual observers are saying that the Gina case and others like it won't fly because allegedly Cali judges/powers-that-be are in the pocket of the Industry because they are such major players, donors, and "kingmakers" politically and economically there.....so...put ALL THAT TOGETHER, and here is the ONLY way (and it is a musing, not a prediction, and a longshot one at that) I can see there NOT being an IA strike and, considering how wiley the IA folks CAN be when they get their act together, a potential eventuality AND the hard statements from IA having been designed just to do this:

WHAT IF....the Mayor of L.A., the City Council, Gavin and the Sacramento boys, and EVERYONE in power in Cali and to a lesser degree NY etc. etc. AND considering they are all Dems and will be looking at that August 1 date as not being too far away from November and Election day and the economy being a huge issue AND the whole industry and all the ancillary businesses who live off it having just been put through the wringer by the prior strikes....

Well, what if all those powers that be call a semi-secret meeting of the major studios and basically tell them "Look--you NEED to cut a deal, give them more than you want, give them whatever they will take to shut up, sit down, and stay at work because if you do not, our already lousy economy goes TOTALLY in the crapper, people who are just now beginning to semi-recover from the pain of the last strikes will be wiped out, AND any shred of a chance we have to elect Biden and Dems in every blue/movie state (GA is very much in play in this) will fly out the window and down to defeat and you know you guys are on OUR side on those elections so dammit, Bob and boys...CUT A DAMN DEAL! 

And just swallow your pride if they then preen and posture to their members that talking tough got them what they wanted. It is the price we pay for economic survival, not to mention jobs creating tax revenue AND movie tickets AND streaming subscriptions AND buying the stuff your systems advertise and all of it goes down the rathole if you don't make a deal and FAST, and WELL before the deadline. OR ELSE."I can see that happening, can't you?

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What do you make of the timing of the strike and how it may intersect with political pressures / economic collapse of the movie industry? Comment and let me know!

Your pal, 

Pro