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EXCLUSIVE: The impact from the double Hollywood strikes continues to be felt. UTA is the latest talent agency to go through staff reductions over the past six months. Sources say due to a small reorganization of some groups at the agency, a small number of agents and employees from other groups are being let go. While it comes amid the strike, it is not directly because of the strike, as a source close to situation says it is due to the company’s recent growth and expansion and a review of organizational needs that has led to the cutbacks.
Insiders say the changes impact less than 1% of agents and employees and this is a smaller reduction than what was previously reported in February.
“We’ve made the difficult decision to part ways with a small number of colleagues as part of ensuring our organizational structure reflects the evolution of our business. We are grateful to each of them and wish them the best,” a UTA spokesperson said in a statement.
Agencies went into cost-cutting mode soon after the WGA strike started May 2. Virtually all scaled back T&E and other expenses, with some restricting non-essential travel and other spending. Some implemented temporary salary cuts for their senior agents.
There also have been layoffs, especially after SAG-AFTRA joined WGA by going on strike in July. CAA, Verve, APA and A3 are among the agencies that have reduced personnel over the past few months as revenue dropped dramatically amid a production shutdown due to the strikes. Talent agencies also implemented furloughs and layoffs during the pandemic when film and TV production also ground to a halt.
The WGA work stoppage ended Sept. 27; the actors remain on strike as SAG-AFTRA’s negotiations with AMPTP continue.
UTA previously underwent layoffs in February of this year, which were in the low single digits as a percentage of the company’s overall workforce. Most of the cuts involved admin/support staff but, as Deadline reported, there were 2-3 agents per department affected.
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