According to a statement from the streaming giant, the money will go towards ‘third parties and non-profits providing emergency relief to out-of-work crew and cast in the countries where we have a large production base.’
- Mar 23, 2020
AceShowbiz – Bosses at streaming giant Netflix are doing their bit to help those in the TV and film industry who have lost work because of the coronavirus pandemic with a $100 million (£86 million) support fund.
As TV shows worldwide stop shooting as due to social distancing measures imposed in many countries to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the company is helping relieve the impact of the shutdown among its workers.
“Most of the fund will go towards support for the hardest-hit workers on our own productions around the world,” chief content officer Ted Sarandos announced on Friday (20Mar20), with $15 million (£12.9 million) going towards “third parties and non-profits providing emergency relief to out-of-work crew and cast in the countries where we have a large production base.”
The news comes after it was announced that Broadway producers and the unions that represent the people who work on shows have reached a temporary agreement to pay employees during the current shutdown.
All shows on Broadway went dark on 12 March and will remain closed until at least 12 April – although it is believed that performances will not resume until May or June due to the health crisis.
An “emergency relief agreement” was announced on Friday night, after the Broadway League negotiated with labour unions representing actors, stagehands, ushers, makeup artists, and more.
All employees will be paid their normal salary for the first partial week of the shutdown, though anyone who makes more than the minimum salary will only get 150 per cent of their minimum salary.
Source: Television - aceshowbiz.com
