IATSE_1stQrtr_2018_web

since the Board last met in Hollywood,
Florida in July 2017.
The Department has assisted a broad
swath of local unions with their respective
collective bargaining negotiations,
including, Locals 7 (Denver), 17 (Louisville),
31 (Kansas City), 50 (Sacramento),
53 (Springfield), 99 (Salt Lake City), 107
(Oakland), 126 and 127 (Fort Worth and
Dallas), 197 (Knoxville), 415 (Tucson),
423 (Albuquerque), 720 (Las Vegas), 834
(Atlanta), and 835 (Orlando). Indeed,
this group represents the scope and
depth of the Department’s collective
bargaining agreements. Except for the
Local 99 contract which will be discussed
below in more detail, each of the
above collective bargaining agreements
achieved industry-standard increases in
wages and benefits. Specifically, regarding
Local 99, the contract with Spectra
Management Group provides substantial
wage and benefit increases to covered
workers.
The Department also made note of
the following in their reports. The Convention
industry in Denver (Local 7) is
experiencing an economic boom with
the addition of Outdoor Retailer’s three
annual shows in 2018 and the opening
of a new Gaylord property in September.
The Local is projecting 90,000 hours
of additional employment this year.
The Officers are actively recruiting and
training workers in order to meet the increased
demand for skilled labor. Local
17 added Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as
a holiday to its agreement. Local 31’s
efforts in contract enforcement resulted
in it and Fern resolving their grievances
concerning the promotion process.
Local 53 has organized the freelance
video production employees employed
by MGM Resorts which has strengthened
the Local’s bargaining position in its negotiations
at the Mass Mutual Center,
giving real meaning to the Quadrennial
Theme “Growth = Strength.” Likewise,
Local 107, fortified its bargaining position
at the Oakland Marriott Convention
Center by organizing technicians
employed by Audio Visual Management
Solutions, the former in-house provider
at the Convention Center. During the
negotiations for a first contract, AVMS
laid off all the technicians. Because Local
107 had fortified its position by organizing
the workers, the successor employer
has entered negotiations with the Local
for all the convention work. The Local
blocked all avenues for a non-union
workforce. Moreover, Local 107 brought
all the AVMS employees into membership
and is securing work for them not
only at the convention center but also
in other of the Local’s workplaces. Local
107’s well-executed strategy is further
proof that “Growth = Strength.”
The Department updated the Board
on Local 415’s unfair labor practice
charges against Conference Services International
and was pleased to advise that
the complaint against CSI settled with
a collective bargaining agreement and
backpay for twenty-three workers. Similarly,
in its negotiations with Fern, Local
720 was successful in resolving a grievance
on behalf of more than twenty workers
and securing an additional contractual
holiday. Local 835 settled four grievances,
resulting in a significant monetary award
for the grievants.
The Departmental update in organizing
is equally favorable. The continued cooperation
has insured amongst Southern
California local unions and their respective
Business Agents, including: Locals 33
(Bill Ford); 122 (Richard Disbrow); 614
(Robert Szoke) and 504 (Sam Bower)
have ensured that freelance, audio-visualtechnician
work under the International’s
agreement with Coast 2 Coast continued
to operate at a high caliber. Notably, the
bargaining parties all met prior to one of
the C2C’s big events in the fall to shore
up any weaknesses; reinforce their strong
points; and expand the pool of qualified
technicians. These changes proved to
be effective and no IATSE-represented
positions were lost or compromised to
non-union labor crewers. In all, the calls
covered eleven days from October 26th
through November 5th, 2017. Every call
was filled and the quality of the crews
was outstanding. On peak days, between
500 and 750 workers were employed. On
show days at least 250 were employed.
Regarding Tradeshow Industry
Events, Representative Kiracofe assisted in
facilitating the installation of the IATSE
exhibit at SIGGRAPH (Los Angeles, CA);
Live Design International (Las Vegas, NV)
and International Association of Exhibitors
and Events Expo! Expo! (IAEE) (San
Antonio, TX).
In late November 2017, Representatives
Gandolini, Kiracofe and Sanders
attended the Exhibition Services and
Contractors Association (ESCA) Annual
Business Meeting in San Antonio. ESCA’s
numerous committees convene in
advance of the business meeting which
has been rebranded as an awards ceremony.
Representative Gandolini has served
as Co-Chair of ESCA’s Labor Management
Council for the past two and a half
FIRST QUARTER 2018 31