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I’m told IATSE’s official pro-ratification campaign is entering a new phase. According to an email sent from the International Cinematographers Guild, 
IATSE Local 600, President Steven Poster to a select group of National Executive Board members, a phone bank will be set up to call members and get them to Vote Yes. It is being coordinated by Western Region Director David Behm who will supply the phone lists. But it has raised questions about what Guild resources will be used and/or abused. “First, it is not the role of the Guild to lobby the members either for or against ratification — although there is precedent from the 2006 contract ratification, where the NEB officially authorized an anti-contract-ratification campaign because of the loss of mandatory staffing of camera operators,” one ICG Vote No organizer tells me. “But, unlike 2006, there has been no NEB authorization of this political action that Poster is unilaterally undertaking.” In his email, Poster sounds anything but confident: “This is the first full week that the ballots will be out there and this is the week 80% of the members who will vote will do it… We need to see it pass our local with a decent percentage.”
- IATSE Hollywood Leaders Sweat It Out
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- Smoke & Mirrors For IATSE & AMPTP, Too
- Remember IATSE/AMPTP Tentative Pact? There Looks Like Lotsa Trouble Ahead…
- IATSE/AMPTP: Controversial Health Plan Eligibility Rollback Causing Complaints
- Details Of AMPTP-IATSE Tentative Deal
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Hey Steven, how much did you get for your soul?
I hope whoever they find to man the phonebanks have experince as telemarketers as I am sure they will be hearing a lot of cussing.
I’m a member of 700, and I’ll be putting my no vote in the mail tomorrow.
Did any of the leadership in Local 600 and 700 Negotiation Committees object to any of this durning Basic Agreement Negotiations .They represent about 12,000 IATSE rank and file members .
Talk about out of touch leadership.
Curious IATSE
WOW,
A select group of Local 600′s NEB and staff “lobbying” its members to pass a contract they themselves have no stake in? Oh wait, of course they have an interest in the new contract. Local 600 has a $10 Million per year (no typo, $10 Million) operating budget. Doering’s $250,000 salary, $40,000 car, first class air fair has to be supported. And those NEB members Bruce doles out work to really don’t want to miss any work. I hear Steven is up for another “runaway” job.
All the while the “workers” at local 600 (rep. by OPEIU) have been working without a contract for over a year. Local 600, Bruce, can’t seem to afford a cost of living increase for them. A real union guy!
“Lets get this contract passed so everyone can get to work and the cash flow can continue uninterrupted.”
Already voted No on this crap deal!
Just when I thought the IA couldn’t stoop any lower…This contract is yet another sell out contract. Our collective bargaining has disintegrated into collective sell down the river. I say let’s dissolve the IA and roll our crafts locals into the Teamsters 399. Nice job IA leadership. Who you’re serving, I do not know, but it’s defnitely not your membership. Btw, get fucked.
” We need to see it pass our local with a decent percentage.”
Why, Steven? So you wont get a spanking from Matt Loeb, who desperately needs to not be the first IA President in history to lose a Hollywood Basic Contract vote?
Pathetic. The members will treat these callers as the snake-oil salesmen they are.
This is crazy. Theoretically, in a voting bloc where everybody is on the same side, there shouldn’t be any attempt at coercion. Particularly in a union that is funded by dues, so the members are paying for the propaganda being used on/against them. This isn’t the presidential election where Democrats are trying to convince Republicans and vice versa, all these people are supposed to be on the same team. Supposedly. Though it’s obvious that isn’t the case anymore.
Nikki, Thanks for the above posting.
IF this is for real, is it a legal, sanctioned use of IATSE 600 dues funds?
Just asking…
Umberto
What is in this deal for Steven Poster, Paul Covington or any other IA member? We are being offered a contract that invites abuse in an already abusive industry. Our elected officials should be PROTECTING us, not selling us out.
My understanding of an elected leader, both on the board and as President, is that he/she is supposed to be the VOICE of the membership. Steven, are you listening, the members of local 600 do not want to give up anymore. No amount of phonebanking coercion will change that. Fight for us, not against us.
Well, well… Last time (2006) locals 44 and 600 had the nerve to actually vote against the contract. 600 was pissed about a provision allowing directors of photography to double up and be the camera operator on a show as well, and voted 141 in favor vs. 2227 against it. Local 44 voted 512 in favor vs. 1313 against it.
That prompted this little rant from Tom Short:
“We have a couple of local unions that have too many chronically unemployed or retired officers and officers with issues that have kept them from working in the industry,” said International President Short. “I’m convinced that we need to make certain that the elected officers of our local unions work in the industry for a certain amount of time to be eligible to run for office. We don’t want to end up emulating the Writers Guild West and Screen Actors Guild – guilds run by certain officers who don’t work in the industry.”
“When I look down the road to the future of the IATSE, I see that only knowledgeable leadership on the local level, real leaders who are working members able to communicate with working members, can make us stronger,” International President Short said.
I have been in the biz for over 20 years. This is the worst contract ever. The new media wild west contract is without job classifications and goes against what a skilled labor union is supposed to represent. This shouldn’t be career day.
Also medical does not take into account children. They are the ones that got screwed.
I won’t have it. I already voted no.
Too bad they didn’t use all these lobbying resources to get a decent deal from the AMPTP. The more I learn, the more I lean to a no vote. Every IATSE member should learn as much as possible about this deal, especially about how it handles so-called “new media,” in other words the future of “all media.” It’s all about working under non-union conditions and paying dues for the privilege. Seriously, don’t take my word for it. Read the memorandum. Do the research. Listen to the IATSE and local leadership’s arguments. Then decide if you can vote yes to this.
local 600 member wrote:Too bad they didn’t use all these lobbying resources to get a decent deal from the AMPTP. The more I learn, the more I lean to a no vote. Every IATSE member should learn as much as possible about this deal, especially about how it handles so-called “new media,” in other words the future of “all media.” It’s all about working under non-union conditions and paying dues for the privilege. Seriously, don’t take my word for it. Read the memorandum. Do the research. Listen to the IATSE and local leadership’s arguments. Then decide if you can vote yes to this.
just wanted to repost the above as it bears repeating.
I read a ton, did as much research as possible and came to the conclusion many (if not most) have which is that there’s no way I can vote yes on this contract.
What’s really awful about it, is that the IA didn’t even negotiate on behalf of it’s members—or seem to know what the membership cared about?
What’s the use of wage increases if everyone is working non-union gigs half the time?
There are many working non-union crafts who are doing better and better without the benefit of joining the union. One of the few things left union had over non-union was group health care policy. But if that’s shaved down too–what is the use being in the IA? I can see the AMPTP’s motives in union busting, but I can’t figure out why the IA wouldn’t see this coming?
hollygolightly wrote:
“I can see the AMPTP’s motives in union busting, but I can’t figure out why the IA wouldn’t see this coming?”
Is there any doubt left in your mind about who they are really working for?
I am a member of two IATSE locals here in LA. I took the time to read the MOA several times, took notes, busted out a highlighter, and thought for a while. It’s interesting that all of the hype being pushed is about the qualifying hours for medical, and not the NON UNION workspace that’s being created in New Media. It seems contrary to the reasons for having a labor union in the first place.
I am voting no on this MOA, and urge my brothers and sisters to do the same.
“Hey Steven, how much did you get for your soul?”
DP weekly rate (in Canadian dollars).
I sent in my ballot today. I voted NO. I had to.
It wasn’t the fear of 400 hours or a $100 copay in the ER. It was New Media.
I don’t need a union card to work as an independent on low budget content which is what will be the lions share of the work once the distributors and exhibitors exploit all of the loop holes in this contract. And that will be soon. I have payed my dues. I already had to light, shoot, and set my own flags on many indie-productions as idiot inexperienced producers made the money and took the credit.
I’m looking into solar and green tech as a new career. I know every 20 year old with a $5000 dollar camera can swoop in and brown nose everybody, make $300 per day, shoot from the hip and think they are players in “Hollywood Baby!”
I will no longer be able to qualify for my hours in 2011 if this contract is passed. I don’t think I am alone. It is predjudiced toward people over 40! I have given this industry 28 years and this is how I end it? I find this disgusting and corrupt! I am ashamed for them. I will have to go back to my family who will be able to help me because I won’t be able to afford medication I must take and no insurance will take on someone with pre existing conditions caused by working in this industry. It is a complete slap in the face. I voted no but will it do any good? It was sneaky and underhanded how this was handled. anyone who votes yes has to be so selfish and self centered. Think about your brothers and sisters and families who will be out of work and insurance. They have kids so it’s more than 3500 people more like 10,000 without insurance. Sickening.After we have put our whole lives into the industry where do we go? Do they expect us to disappear quietly into the background? I think we should get together and file a class action suit against our leadership!
I am really curious as to what the incentive is here, the AMPTP must have offered our “negotiators” something big to make them feel the need to jam this joke of a contract down our throats. Lets get rid of this contract offer then get rid of this “negotiating committee”.
Vote NO.
you guys are ridiculous. if you have a problem with steven (or anyone else) working in canada, maybe you should be calling our GOVERNOR.
DPs don’t pick the locations, you guys know that.
as for the deal, everyone’s health care costs have gone up. you can either have huge increases in premiums to keep your insurance (which is WAY better than most) or you can increase your hours. either way, the huge cost in health care doesn’t pay for itself.
Poster, et al, take the rose colored contrast glass away from your eye and witness some reality. how do you live w/ yourselves selling out your self proclaimed “brothers and sisters”? whose pocket are you in? …do you enjoy the view from your ivory tower watching your “brothers and sisters” scratch and scrape for survival? been in biz for 18 years and in the union for 12 years.. i used to make a comfortable living in this biz. but since runaway production, etc has turned it all on it’s side i’ve lost my wife/child (to divorce), my house, my health insurance and my patience! i refuse to stand for this any longer…my NO vote went in mail today. and i’d like to tell you to stick it where the sun dont shine but its way more important in the ballot box. plus, you’ve already got all your cronies heads up there so i doubt it will fit. ps have fun in canada on your next job. i pray to god that yeti exists and he tears your arms off and beats you to death with them. have a nice life.
I am surprised and disappointed to see these comments about Local 600’s phone bank cite this effort as evidence of some evil intent, a conspiracy to force the rank & file members of this union to accept a sub-standard contract.
On January 11th, 2009, the National Executive Board of Local 600 met in a special session to consider whether to recommend ratification of the proposed Basic Agreement to the membership at large. After about four hours of discussion, the Board voted by more than a two thirds majority to recommend the contract.
Our National Executive Board is the governing body of this Local, and their decisions set the policy that we follow. Some of those who are criticizing the actions of this Local on your blog were on the losing side of that debate. While we encourage freedom of speech and open debate, it is unfair to characterize their opinions as representing the majority of Local 600 Board Members. They are, in fact, the minority voice.
Many of those board members who voted to recommend ratification are now volunteering their personal time, with no compensation, to discuss that decision with the members of our Local.
The phone bank that is being vilified in your blog is simply a tool to open dialogue with our members about what is going on at the Local, what factors went into the Board’s decision, and what we hope the members will consider as they make their own, informed decision. In other words: Democracy.
Unlike many of those who criticize, I will sign my name.
Respectfully,
David Behm
Western Region Director
International Cinematographers Guild
IATSE Local 600
Ha ha! I already sent in my vote!! No way, Jose! ppffftttt!!