BuzzFeed Studios Film ‘Adulting’ Accused of Firing Workers Over Union Organizing

An independent film shooting in Alabama has been accused of retaliating against crew members for union activity as they tried to organize the production.

“Adulting,” which stars Leighton Meester, has been filming in Mobile, Ala., for the past couple of weeks.

According to the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the union is seeking to flip the production, which began as a non-union shoot.

It is relatively common for IATSE to try to organize low-budget films midway through production, which results in the production paying union rates as well as pension and health contributions. If the production refuses to recognize IATSE, the union can instruct members to walk off set and establish picket lines.

IATSE alleges that the production, led by BuzzFeed Studios, fired crew members who sought to organize, which would be a violation of federal law.

“IATSE is actively organizing this production and have filed Unfair Labor Practice charges related to the discharging of employees because of their Union membership, Union support and/or because they engaged in protected concerted activities,” said Mike Miller, the director of IATSE’s Motion Picture and Television Production department. “We will continue to follow up as long as the employer refuses to recognize the Union and violates the rights of these workers to organize.”

BuzzFeed Studios denied any labor law violations in a statement.

“We are committed to upholding fair labor standards and expect the same from all productions we are associated with,” said a company spokesperson. “In this case, we are confident that those standards were fully met.”

Crew Stories, the industry Facebook group, posted a message from IATSE Local 478, which is based in New Orleans, indicating that the production had refused to enter negotiations for a contract. The message advised the “Adulting” crew not to report to work pending the outcome of those discussions, but said that it was not necessary to report to a picket line.