Shawn Batey was sweating in the August sun on the 100th day of the writers strike, carrying her “IATSE Solidarity” sign on the picket line outside Netflix’s New York offices, but she was glad to be there.
A props assistant and documentary filmmaker, Batey is a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the union that represents most Hollywood crew members, and has recently worked on “Pose” and “Russian Doll.” But since the writers strike began in May and the actors joined them on July 14, Batey has had trouble covering her expenses — so she applied to the emergency fund from the Entertainment Community Fund for help.
“They say apply when you’re at a critical point,” said Batey, adding that she needed to show her union card, her wages and, in her case, that she’d worked as a member of the union for a certain number of years. The application is lengthy, but she said, “It is definitely worth for people to apply. Just be patient.”
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