Motion Picture & Television Fund, Union Avert Strike

Mid last week, it looked like like unionized workers at the Woodland Hills Motion Picture & Television Fund campus would be striking, but as of Friday, the strike had been averted, at least for the time being.

On Friday afternoon, the MPTF and union—Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West—announced they would take a 60-day cooling-off period in which negotiations will continue, according to a blog post my MPTF president and CEO Bob Beitcher.

It's a far cry from what Beitcher wrote on Wednesday.

"We met earlier today with the bargaining team from our union, SEIU-UHW, and the federal mediator who has been involved in our negotiations. After extensive good faith bargaining on MPTF’s part, we have reached an impasse. No further negotiating sessions have been planned," he wrote.

By Friday, he reported the SEIU-UHA had rescinded its intent to start a strike on Monday, to withdraw claims of unfair labor practices and withdraw its bargaining proposal regarding nurse staffing levels.

The MPTF provides healthcare, senior services and residential retirement for entertainment industry workers.