Leaders of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees are asking tens of thousands of entertainment industry workers to give them authority to call a strike.

       Union leaders said in statement Monday they would ask their members to approve a so-called strike authorization vote.

       The extraordinary move comes after four months of increasingly acrimonious talks between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to produce an agreement on a new contract.

       IATSE said producers, which include Netflix, Amazon, and Warner Bros and Walt Disney among others, had refused to respond to their latest proposals after the union’s contract had expired earlier this month.

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       “This failure to continue negotiating can only be interpreted one way,” the IATSE negotiating committee said in a statement Monday. “They simply will not address the core issues we have repeatedly advocated for from the beginning. As a result, we will now proceed with a nationwide strike authorization vote to demonstrate our commitment to achieving the change that is long overdue in this industry.”

       The contract affects more than 43,000 workers in the film and entertainment industry who are pushing for better rest periods, improved wages, residuals from streaming that are in line with other distribution channels, as well as increased contributions to health and pension plans.

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       The last time it was ‘Hollywood’s Bloody Friday.’ With no deal in sight, will crews strike again?

       Are Hollywood crews ready to strike for the first time since 1945?

       For their part, studios have balked at the union’s demands, citing the costs they have incurred as a result of pandemic. They are looking for concessions from the union, such as, eliminating the financial penalties they must pay if crews miss meal breaks and increasing the number of hours to qualify for health benefits.

       In a statement the AMPTP said it had “listened and addressed” many of the union’s demands, including increasing minimum pay rates for some types of new media productions and covering a nearly $400 million pension and health plan deficit.

       “When we began negotiations with the IATSE months ago, we discussed the economic realities and the challenges facing the entertainment industry as we work to recover from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic,” the AMPTP said. “In choosing to leave the bargaining table to seek a strike authorization vote, the IATSE leadership walked away from a generous comprehensive package.”

       While a favorable strike vote does not mean a walk out will follow, it potentially gives union leaders more clout in negotiations by threatening to close down productions at a critical time.

       Producers are furiously trying to revamp productions delayed by the pandemic and also feed their new streaming platforms.

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       IATSE rarely has showdowns with producers compared to other entertainment industry unions. Hollywood crews have not staged strike or major walkout since World War II in an event known as “Hollywood’s Bloody Friday.”

       The vote, which will happen electronically, requires 75% of all those votes received to be in favor and for a simple majority of the 13 locals to vote in favor. Locals have been preparing members, by asking them to be up to date with their dues and to register emails.

       IATSE did not say when the vote would occur.

       Some showrunners including Joe Henderson of Netflix’s “Lucifer” as well as Tze Chun of HBO Max’s “Gremlins” expressed their support for the union on social media.