Crew Strikes for IATSE Contract on Sean Penn, Eric Swalwell-Produced ‘The Gun on Second Street’

The crew for “The Gun on Second Street,” a drama about gun violence with Sean Penn and California Rep. Eric Swalwell attached as producers, has gone on strike in a push for a labor contract, IATSE shared Thursday.

According to IATSE, crew members notified producers of their “united decision” to form a union and bargain for a contract, which was met with a refusal by the producers to recognize the union. The union has also alleged that workers on the production “have been misclassified as 1099 independent contractors rather than employees.”

“Every production, regardless of budget or political connections, must respect the rights of the people who make film and television possible. The Alliance is prepared to support this crew as they take collective action to secure safe working conditions, fair compensation, proper classification and a voice on the job,” said IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb.

“These workers deserve the same rights and protections film and tv workers have across the country. I’m proud of this crew for standing together in this moment and fighting for what’s right in the face of tremendous pressure. It is now the producers’ responsibility to meet them at the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith,” Loeb continued.

Currently filming in Wheeling, West Virginia, “The Gun on Second Street” is directed by Rohit Karn Batra and stars Dianna Agron, Jack Kesy and Tom Arnold. The film follows a police officer still struggling with the guilt of accidentally killing his partner responding to a domestic violence call. When he falls in love with his partner’s widow, he must come to terms with his past.

In a statement sent to The Hollywood Reporter, Swalwell (D-California), who is an executive producer on the project, expressed his support for the approximately 40-member crew, saying that his role as executive producer did not involve any business decisions surrounding the project.

“However, I am a lifelong supporter of labor,” he continued. “While I am prohibited by Congressional ethics rules from participating in the negotiations between production and labor, I joined the film expecting labor standards would be adhered to. I urge the production team to seek a fair outcome for the crew. Should that not be achieved, I will remove my name from the film’s screen credits.”

In his own statement, Batra pushed back against IATSE and the crew workers’ claims on their compensation.

“We do not agree with the union’s assertions. We have compensated our production crew well for their time. However, we will not attempt to resolve our differences with the union through the press.  Therefore, we have no further comment,” Batra said.

TheWrap has reached out to representatives for Penn for comment and will update this story with any response.

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