IATSE_3rd2017_web

The IA’s successful efforts to dislodge
labor contractors from our traditional
jurisdiction must continue. Building on
these successes will require sustained
outreach to unrepresented workforces
while also seeking support from our political
and community allies to obtain
contracts.
I commend the IATSE’s stage Locals
who have recognized the importance of
new organizing. Successful organizing
efforts are the direct effect of the growing
desire of local unions to engage in these
efforts. So long as that support exists, the
International Alliance stands ready to allocate
necessary resources to guarantee
our success.
I also wish to emphasize that the last
four years demonstrate the Stagecraft
Department’s proficiency in particularly
addressing the challenges of IATSE Locals
with the least resources. Our statistics
show that 54 percent of the Locals receiving
formal assistance with the assignment
of International staff were among some
of the smallest Locals of the Alliance. The
International will continue to deploy its
resources to stage Locals requiring assistance
because we are only as strong as we
are united.
TRADESHOW AND DISPLAY
WORK DEPARTMENT
The tradeshow and exhibition industries
have shown respectable growth in the
past several years and are projected to continue
growing through 2017 and beyond.
Over twenty-five years, the square footage
available in convention centers across the
U.S. nearly doubled, from 47.3 million
to 93.5 million feet. North America now
has 52 percent of the world’s convention
space. The most prominent U.S.
facilities offer an estimated 57 million
square feet of prime exhibit space while
Canada’s twenty-five major venues boast
nearly 7 million square feet. Some of the
largest U.S. convention centers are staffed
by well-trained IATSE workforces. The
strong economic standing of the industry
coupled with growth in exhibit space
across North America provides abundant
work opportunities for IATSE members.
Exhibition employers have been more
willing to partner with Locals to provide
training and fair compensation. These
welcome trends should continue. In addition,
since the last Convention, the Alliance
has sustained and built upon several
national contracts, which ensure secure,
safe and productive work environments
for IATSE workers. The IATSE’s contracts
have preserved and improved upon existing
relationships and partnerships with
several employers.
Our relationship with Freeman
Audio Visual (Freeman AV) has continued
to develop into one of the best
working relationships in this segment of
the industry. The IATSE’s national agreement
has been in place for over five years
and Freeman AV has been a prominent
partner of the IATSE Entertainment and
Exhibition Industries Training Trust
Fund (TTF). It has provided equipment
for audiovisual training programs
throughout the U.S. IATSE representatives
have also been certified by Freeman
AV to present customer service training
as part of the TTF programs. Once these
trainings are offered, International representatives
continue to respond to local
training needs where necessary. In conjunction
with these training programs,
IA workers are capturing more jobs that
have previously been performed by unrepresented
workers.
The Freeman AV national agreement
was most recently renewed in 2015 for
a three-year term. The current contract
provides wage increases in each year of
the agreement and increasing contributions
to the TTF. This will be important
as the IA continues to assist local unions
with their training goals. Training will
continue to be integral to the success of
our members and Locals in audiovisual
and display work as we grow our existing
connections to these industries.
The IATSE’s national agreement with
Freeman AV has grown from initially
covering only three local unions to now
include thirty-one local unions. International
Tradeshow Department representatives
have routinely traveled the
country to facilitate meetings between
local business agents and the respective
local Freeman AV representatives. IA local
unions have been supportive of these
efforts and enthusiastic about new potential
employment opportunities. The International’s
representatives remain available
to present all our available resources
and assistance to the locals that need it.
This paves the way for the International
to determine the training needs and capabilities
of our local unions.
During the past four years, we have
also made headway toward growing the
IA’s presence in Canada’s Freeman AV
markets. In 2014, IATSE Local 105 filed
a certification application at the Ontario
Labour Relations Board for all employees
working at the Canadian Division of
Freeman AV in London, Ontario. Employees
voted unanimously in favour of
the Union. The Labour Board certified
48 OFFICIAL BULLETIN