International Cinematographers Guild In A Dispute With Warner Bros.

International Cinematographers Guild Local 600 is involved in an ongoing dispute with Warner Bros. over the use of non-union FAA-licensed drone pilots in an effort to have the pilots compensated at union scale.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that the dispute arose from the hiring of three drone technicians for the Rush Hour TV series in 2015. While the series only ran for 13 episodes, the dispute continues to this day.

The union entered into arbitration in an effort to get health and pension benefits for the drone operators that would have been required for employees under an agreement reached between IASTE and producers. Warner Bros. has taken the case to federal court in an effort to assure that one of the drone pilots appeared at an arbitration hearing set for May 2.

Warner argues that because commercial drone operators require an FAA license and often operate their own companies, they should be treated as subcontractors. But the ICG holds that the labor agreement requires producers to "cover the work of all phases of motion and still picture photography,” and that others working in aerial photography are included in the agreement. Warners says that pilots are not part of the agreement. The union says that the drone operators are making creative decisions on camera positions and shot selection, not just flying the aircraft.

Both sides declined to comment, citing the upcoming hearing.

(Image from file)

FMI: Source report