IATSE-2nd2018_web

Wizard of Oz being among the first) even intermingled black
and white with color. Attention to detail became paramount, in
decor, in dress and in setting.
Fewer films were shot on soundstages. IATSE members
found themselves spending more time on location. The use
of natural — or natural-seeming — light became prevalent,
presenting new challenges for IA lighting technicians.
As the move towards realism increased, IATSE studio mechanics
were called on to stage elaborate and difficult scenes,
such as high-speed car chases (as in Bullitt in 1968 or The French
Connection in 1971).
The next generation of films would find IATSE members producing
even more complex special effects to give audiences thrills
and excitement beyond the previous bounds of their imagination.
In the 1980s the North American motion picture industry
underwent a transformation which also changed the IATSE,
bringing with it new challenges and new opportunities.
The major studios were in decline, producing fewer than
one hundred feature films in 1983, compared with five hundred
in 1937. In 1987, one of the busier years of the decade for the
studios, there were one hundred and thirty-five features. On
the other hand, independent producers released three hundred
and eighty films. This transfer of work from the studios to the
independents had a major impact on employment among
IATSE members, a trend that continues through the present day.
STRONGER TOGETHER:
THE IATSE-NABET MERGER
As IATSE’s 100th anniversary approached, the Alliance
achieved new levels of strength by engaging in an historic merger
with two NABET film Locals. By joining IATSE, NABET Local
15 on the East Coast and NABET Local 531 on the West Coast
ensured that every craft associated with the film industry would
now stand together under one roof.
At the 60th Biennial Convention, International President Alfred
Di Tolla made the case for the mergers, telling the delegates:
A single union in motion picture production can most
effectively serve the interests of the people employed in
this area ... the two organizations can work out mutual
assistance pacts in television to strengthen our bargaining
positions vis-a-vis the networks ... the networks
have changed in character since they were taken over by
purely commercial interests that do not hesitate to exploit
the advantage they have since unions are divided
instead of joining forces to combat a common enemy.
By joining forces, IATSE and former NABET members benefited
from the combined might of a single union able to negotiate
with producers from a position of unity and strength. Indeed, this
kind of action — putting aside differences for the common good
of all — represents one of the basic tenets of trade unionism.
For more than twenty-five years, NABET members’ crafts
overlapped with those of IATSE members in the film industry,
and the competition only made it easier for employers to divide
and conquer. The merger eliminated that danger and recognized
that together, we can surmount common challenges and achieve
common goals.
The establishment of Studio Mechanics Locals also helped to
strengthen IATSE’s position in film and television. The creation of
these Locals enabled the IA to more effectively represent motion
picture production workers in areas where they were not adequately
covered before. The Studio Mechanics Locals provided specific
procedures and mechanisms to ensure that members were protected
from exploitation, that they received appropriate wages and
benefits, and that their working conditions were safe and adequate.
The studios themselves benefitted as well, since the Locals
provide reliable sources of highly -skilled, well-trained workers
regardless of location.
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