Jimmy Kimmel didn’t shy away from talking about the strikes that shut down Hollywood during his Academy Awards monologue, and he used the opening to give the crew members working behind the scenes on Hollywood’s biggest night their time in the sun.
“We were able to make deals because of the people who rallied behind us,” Kimmel said, praising members of unions like IATSE, Teamsters 399 and the Basic Crafts who spent months out of work while the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA went on strike for a combined 191 days.
Kimmel then invited the members of those unions working on the Oscars out on stage, where they received a standing ovation from the audience at the Dolby Theatre.
“If you’re wearing Skechers at the Oscars, take a bow!” Kimmel said amid the applause. “And as you negotiate your contract, we will stand by you, too.”
IATSE, Teamsters and the Basic Crafts are jointly negotiating on changes to their health plan with the Hollywood studios. While the unions await a response to their proposal for changes to the health plan, IATSE began talks on the Hollywood Basic Agreement on Tuesday. The union is set to resume talks on March 18, with its contract expiring on July 31.
