IATSE 3rd 2019_web
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terns. Local 414 in Wisconsin completed<br />
negotiations for its first successor contract<br />
since the Local was chartered. It was<br />
critical to revisit items from the term of<br />
the first contract. Negotiations concluded<br />
in late June, with gains like those negotiated<br />
in neighboring Minnesota. Crewers<br />
operating in Wisconsin have since agreed<br />
to similar terms as well.<br />
In Chicago, some clarity has emerged<br />
in a changing environment. Three out<br />
of the four major professional sports<br />
teams have elected to maintain their relationship<br />
with NBC Sports Chicago.<br />
The fourth has announced plans to form<br />
a new network in partnership with Sinclair<br />
Broadcasting. Details have not fully<br />
emerged about the new network and<br />
the Department continues to monitor<br />
the situation. NBC Sports Chicago now<br />
has exclusive rights to produce live basketball,<br />
baseball, and hockey events and<br />
crewing for that work is handled by Program<br />
Productions. This paves the way<br />
for the completion of a successor agreement<br />
with Program Productions. The<br />
Department is working with Local 762<br />
to formulate contract proposals that will<br />
protect established crewing patterns for<br />
Chicago technicians while also achieving<br />
other desired economic goals.<br />
Talks have continued with Big Ten<br />
Network over work at their Chicago<br />
MICR studios, work done remotely at<br />
several midwestern universities, and<br />
technicians on travelling crews covering<br />
college football. Progress has been made,<br />
but the Network has thus far declined to<br />
recognize the value of the work done by<br />
technicians at the MICR studios. Economic<br />
proposals have been exchanged<br />
with the goal of reaching an agreement<br />
before the beginning of the college football<br />
season.<br />
Technicians in South Florida won<br />
an NLRB directed recognition election<br />
in December. They have been developing<br />
first contract proposals. While much<br />
progress has been made in developing the<br />
proposals, progress has been complicated<br />
by uncertainty surrounding the ownership<br />
of the former Fox networks. The<br />
employer has largely refused to bargain<br />
based on its appeal of the NLRB election<br />
decision and the status of network ownership.<br />
In late July, the employer’s NLRB<br />
appeal was denied and there should not<br />
be legitimate obstacles to bargaining. The<br />
Department continues to work with the<br />
<strong>IATSE</strong> Legal Department to formulate<br />
strategies to enforce the IA’s right to bargain<br />
on behalf of these technicians.<br />
Golf Channel members are working<br />
to begin negotiations on another successor<br />
agreement. In preparation of approaching<br />
negotiations, Representatives<br />
have worked diligently with the bargaining<br />
committee to craft proposals and<br />
survey the members. They have also met<br />
with Golf Channel management to solve<br />
outstanding current issues and prepare<br />
for the upcoming negotiations. The Department’s<br />
golf utility training class continues<br />
to be a success. Member participation<br />
continues to grow as the unit learns<br />
to work together to solve problems. The<br />
Department continues to work with the<br />
<strong>IATSE</strong> Legal Department to resolve outstanding<br />
Golf Channel grievances.<br />
Meanwhile, unrepresented broadcast<br />
technicians have continued to express<br />
interest in <strong>IATSE</strong> representation, and the<br />
Department is working with them in various<br />
territories. The Department has several<br />
organizing drives underway in various<br />
stages. Representatives continue to<br />
work with technicians in various markets<br />
to help them assess the status of their organizing<br />
efforts, improve outreach, build<br />
solidarity, and achieve majority status. As<br />
separately reported to the Board, Representative<br />
Kevin Allen recently attended<br />
corporate research training to develop<br />
additional techniques that will assist the<br />
Department in negotiations and future<br />
organizing campaigns.<br />
Within the last six months, the Department<br />
has also remained active in<br />
various industry trade groups. In June,<br />
Representative McLendon attended the<br />
Sports Video Group College Summit in<br />
Atlanta. The rapid emergence of esports<br />
was the main topic among the young<br />
group of attendees at the Summit. Esports<br />
presents vast opportunities for<br />
growth in the broadcast industry and a<br />
potential source of new technicians for<br />
the future of all sports broadcasting. Co-<br />
Directors O’Hern and Belsky along with<br />
Representative McLendon also attended<br />
the Sports Video Group Regional Sports<br />
Network Summit in June. The Summit<br />
offered face-to-face contact with leaders<br />
of some of the industry’s largest employers,<br />
which can be crucial to dealing with<br />
many of the issues we share.<br />
The Department continues to develop<br />
its messaging capabilities. Due to the<br />
challenges affecting nearly every broadcast<br />
Local, the Department recently sent<br />
its first periodic member newsletter exclusively<br />
for <strong>IATSE</strong> broadcast members.<br />
The first issue was sent in June, and since<br />
then the Department has sent specific,<br />
targeted messages to members in several<br />
individual markets. The Department is<br />
THIRD QUARTER <strong>2019</strong> 77
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