IATSE 3rd 2019_web

Canadian Organizing
The Great White North has been busy
trying to bring IATSE representation
to workers from coast to coast! Since
hiring an International Representative
dedicated solely to organizing – Jeremy
Salter – the Canadian Department has
been able to expand its efforts. Here are
a few things the Department and Locals
have been involved with:
IATSE / ABAS Strategic Alliance
– We’ve signed a strategic alliance with
the Art Babbitt Appreciation Society
(ABAS) in efforts to unionize animation
workers in Canada. ABAS is a grassroots
group of Canadian animation workers
that has been working for several years
to empower workers in their industry.
Through this alliance, both groups will
continue to jointly develop collaborative
strategies to improve working
conditions for animation workers across
the country. The collaboration ensures
a diverse range of experience dealing
with animation sector issues and as we
strive to improve working conditions
in the sector. As word has spread within
the animation industry, the IATSE has
also begun working with a group of
animators in Toronto called Car Tune,
to improve working conditions for
animation workers in Ontario.
IATSE Reps FOH – A multi-Local
organizing committee has been created
in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) to
organize front-of-house workers. The
committee, which includes Locals 58, 822,
828, and B-173, had its first success at the
Young Centre for the Performing Arts,
which houses the Soulpepper Theatre
Company. Committee members are now
reaching out to their members who work at
other venues where FOH is unrepresented.
Promotional materials to inform workers
about the campaign have been created,
as has a campaign website, which can be
found at www.iatse-reps-foh.ca.
Fairness in Factual TV – In another
collaborative effort, the IATSE has
partnered with CWA-Canada/CMG
(Communications Workers of America
– Canada / Canadian Media Guild)
to form the Factual Television Joint
Council. Our goal in this campaign is
to provide representation to workers
in the Canadian factual/reality TV
sector. To date, we’ve hosted a multischool
symposium for film students,
hosted social events, held focus groups
for workers, and created distribution
materials to inform workers of the
campaign. Like many other industries,
workers in this sector are often
discouraged from discussing their wages
with other workers. To address this,
the campaign has developed an online
wage share document for workers to
share their wages, which has proven to
be extremely helpful. The campaign
website was recently launched, and can
be found at www.fairnessinfactualtv.ca.
These campaigns are just a few of the
highlights of the Canadian Department’s
commitment to growth, but there are
other irons in the fire. Stay tuned for
more developments!
WWW.IATSE.NET
IATSE-PAC DONATED TO
NEW YORK CONGRESSMAN
International Vice President John Ford
(left) and Recording/Corresponding Secretary
of Local One Robert Score (right) presented
a IATSE-PAC contribution to Congressman
Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries is an American politician
serving as the U.S. Representative for New
York’s 8th Congressional District since 2013.
22 OFFICIAL BULLETIN