IATSE_3rd2017_web

Shortly after its operations were underway,
the IATSE agreed to terms covering
several prominent shows in the U.S. The
International has maintained its contacts
with company officials and is expected
to negotiate a contract that would cover
continuing operations in IA jurisdictions
across the U.S. and Canada (much like
the PSAV and Freeman AV agreements).
This company has pledged its full cooperation
with IATSE AV training in our
Locals wherever practical. This represents
another positive step in the IA’s efforts
to represent the workers in this industry
and to ensure that audiovisual workers
have good paying jobs with good benefits
under IATSE contracts. As the IA’s market
share grows, these workers will be able to
pursue commendable careers and bring
excellence to employer operations in this
sector.
During the past four years, the IA has
also renegotiated national contracts with
exhibition companies EWI Worldwide,
Inc., Seattle-based Minotaur Mazes, Inc.
and Texas-based Show Services LLC. In
the most recent Show Services contract
renewal, the IA successfully united eight
separate Local agreements with this exhibitor
appointed contractor under a
solitary national contract. Among other
features, these IATSE contracts include
annual wage and benefit increases along
with Training Trust Fund contributions,
which will assist the Alliance in identifying
our members’ training needs and
building upon their skills.
In addition to the efforts described
above, the IA’s prominence in the audiovisual
realm within Canada has also grown
in other ways. Members of IATSE Locals
have performed AV functions at various
conventions across Canada including
prominent labour conventions (e.g., the
Ontario Federation of Labour Convention,
Quebec Federation of Labour Convention,
British Columbia Federation
of Labour Convention). The Canadian
Locals also continue to perform audiovisual
work with the numerous companies
on a case-by-case basis and steady efforts
have been made to solidify these relationships
contractually.
International representatives have
also been active in coordinating the
IATSE’s Canadian AV initiatives. Like
our work in the U.S., the goals of this
undertaking are to provide customer
service training, raise awareness about
the International’s AV term agreements,
identify the need for training and work
opportunities including funding sources,
assess local AV industries (e.g., the size of
various markets and presence of international
companies), and assess local membership
skill sets.
The International will continue to
secure collective agreements in Canada
where we do this work though rate cards.
Before we grow further, we also need to
determine the skill level of our members
and to train where we need training. The
Tradeshow Department has prioritized
these steps as a means of actively and strategically
expanding throughout Canada.
In addition to the systematic implementation
of national IATSE audiovisual
and exhibition contracts, the Tradeshow
Department routinely assists IATSE local
unions with many challenging functions.
Since the 67th Quadrennial Convention
in 2013, the following local unions
have requested and received assistance
from the International’s Tradeshow Department.
The Department has assisted
with significant grievances, organizing
matters, and contract negotiations
(including increasingly complex fringe
benefit issues, and eliminating rate sheets
in favor of complete collective bargaining
agreements)—Local 7, Denver; Local 11,
Boston; Local 12, Columbus, OH; Local
13, Minneapolis-Saint Paul; Local 31,
Kansas City; Local 39, New Orleans; Local
46, Nashville; Local 48, Akron, OH; Local
50, Sacramento; Local 67, Des Moines;
Local 69, Memphis; Local 78, Birmingham;
Local 197, Knoxville; Local 205,
Austin; Local 320, Savannah; Local 322,
Charlotte; Local 336, Phoenix; Local 363,
Reno; Local 415, Tucson; Local 423, Albuquerque;
Local 500, South Florida; Local
504, Anaheim; Local 665, Hawaii; Local
690, Iowa City; Local 720, Las Vegas;
Local 834, Atlanta; Local 835, Orlando;
and Local 838, Salt Lake City.
Particularly notable among these was
the Department’s assistance to Local 39 in
New Orleans. Since the last Convention,
Local 39 has been confronted with a series
of contract negotiations requiring assistance,
including contentious bargaining
with Freeman Freight. The company’s
local management had created a culture
based on fear and intimidation. But the
Local’s members remained united and
showed remarkable patience and solidarity.
Other IATSE Locals in Chicago,
Denver, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and
Anaheim publicized our efforts to reach a
fair contract for Local 39. As a direct effect
of those efforts, the company entered into
a beneficial contract. The culture of fear
and intimidation is slowly shifting into
one of mutual respect and decency. The
Local has since successfully concluded
50 OFFICIAL BULLETIN