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Wow, the nervousness over whether the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600) or the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700) 
will vote to ratify the proposed IATSE-AMPTP contract has hit a new high. Now leaders of both Hollywood locals have taken to the DHD comments section to plead the Vote Yes case. Both David Behm, ICG’s Western Region Director, and Paul Covington, one of the editor reps on the Editors Guild’s board of directors, are battling it out man a mano with members who have joined the Vote No campaign. Too bad this kind of back-and-forth dialogue was not possible when the IATSE Hollywood leaders were signing on to that piss-poor contract.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Nikki,
You are true hero to this industry. Why it is that you can see so clearly the abuse perpetrated by these big media conglomerates when our supposed leaders can’t is beyond me, but kudos to you for rallying people behind the truth.
Yeah, too bad the Memorandum of Agreement was kept from the membership until the ballots were mailed, and too bad it wasn’t allowed to be discussed prior to voting, and too bad we don’t even get to see the actual contract before we have to vote on it.
Welcome to union democracy, Hollywood style.
-Alan Disler, Local 600
Too bad this kind of back-and-forth dialogue was not possible when the IATSE Hollywood leaders were signing on to that piss-poor contract.
No kidding. But, better late than never. Thank you so much, Nikki, for all the help with this! I’m busy asking everyone I know to take a few minutes and read it all…
Even Karl Rove would be hard pressed to “sell” this Contract. There is no conceivable way to frame the argument that this is a good deal. No wonder they’re nervous….and organizing a phone-bank. If the membership accepts this deal, shame on them.
These IATSE contracts never address the problem of sick days, either. Did you know that the contract has no provisions requiring IASTE members to be paid when they are sick? Any paid sick days are given at the employer’s discretion. Why can’t we earn sick days like most unionized workers, e.g., a paid sick day for each month’s or two months’ work?
Yeah, guys like Behm are infiltrating the comments — and lying their asses off about what this contract will do to the members.
As a very pro-union person, I’m thrilled to see the dozens of people stating they have voted or will vote NO on this piece of shit contract.
“Why can’t we earn sick days like most unionized workers, e.g., a paid sick day for each month’s or two months’ work?”
To be master of the obvious, it’s because your so called “leadership” is AMPTP’s foot-licking bitch; far more interested in spending their energies trying to shove sewage up your backsides and trying to roll you back to minimum wage with no benefits as quickly as possible than spending that same effort negotiating a livable respectable contract for its membership.
Hoping to hell this time the rank and file members stand up against this insulting garbage of an offer, but given IATSE’s history of “thank you sir, may I have another, are you sure you really want to offer us that much?” … I cannot say I’d rush to Vegas to put odds a refusal to lie down and “take it” one more time.
I voted no.
I know of no one voting yes.
I still believe this horrible POS will pass because the IA is so corrupt.
Where is Matt Loeb?
Where is Michael Miller?
Those two are, more that anyone, responsible for this contract.
The contract is signed by Matt.
So where is Matt? He issues his proclamation on a contract negotiated in the dark and jets off to NY. Nice. Great bit of leadership there, Matt.
How about Mike Miller? His office is at10045 Riverside Drive Toluca Lake, CA 91602 818-980-3499 . Fax: 818-980-3496.
Maybe Mike would like to say something to the members losing P&H or being allowed to work non-union conditions but paying union dues.
What do yo say Mike? You negotiated it, how about hearing from you (and Matt). Up to taking members questions???
Didn’t think so. More coward than union leader. Pathetic!
Lets face it, this contract will pass no matter what we vote! Do you really thing we have a say in this!
To my union brothers and sisters in IATSE,
I’m a working member of the WGA, and if you guys should happen to find yourselves on strike, I’ll be out there beside you with a picket sign in hand. That goes double for you, SAG.
Patrick Meighan
Culver City, CA
If there is an upside to any of this it is that David Behm will FINALLY be uncovered as the do-nothing, lazy liar that he is. First order of business for Local 600 should be to get rid of this slug. We can’t go on strike – there won’t be any sets for David to visit for a free lunch.
This evening my email inbox has been stuffed with ratification literature. There’s quite a campaign going on. But it should be quite easy to decide which way to vote.
Read the contract carefully and ask, “If I was asked to pay a hefty initiation fee, would it be worth my while to join this union and work under these terms?”
If your answer is “no” then consider how difficult it may be in the future to organize productions, the life blood of unionism. Non-union employees will look at the contract and say, “No thanks. Not really worth it.”
Fat chance, you say. Everyone wants to join a union, you say. Well, then I have three words for you: Toyota, Honda, Nissan.
Is this not supposed to be a secret ballot? I noticed that my name and address had been printed and affixed to a return addy sticker on the mailing envelope. Anyone else notice this or is it unique to Local 800? So does that mean that a NO vote will put you on the BL? Hmmm? Makes one think… VOTE NO!!!
Local 800 member
Local 800 member wrote:
“Is this not supposed to be a secret ballot?”
There should have been two envelopes in your packet.
The larger of the two has your info to verify that you are eligible to vote and that you are only voting once. Tampering with this may invalidate your vote.
The second, smaller envelope that contains your ballot is removed from the first and opened separately.
If you are a member in good standing you can request to be present at the ballot counting. I believe it will take place at Local 80. You must, however, request to attend through your union at least 3 days before the count.
Is this not supposed to be a secret ballot? I noticed that my name and address had been printed and affixed to a return addy sticker on the mailing envelope.
You were supposed to get another envelope, in which you
place your ballot, and then that other (smaller) envelope goes inside the one with your name and address on it.
The name and address are necessary to keep track of who’s voting – otherwise there would be boatloads of fake votes rolling in…
800 Member,
Your information on the outer envelope is for the AAA or accounting firm to determine your eligibility to vote based on your good standing status in the union at the time of the vote count. The union supplies a list to the outside agency. You are able to attend the vote count if you make a request 3 days prior to the day of the actual count. (March 18th) There should not be a instant reference to your identity and ballot as all the inner envelopes would be removed before they were opened and the vote recorded. The questionable counts might be ones conducted by agencies other than the American Arbitration Association (which has a very good reputation when conducting elections or ratification votes.) For more information on your rights as a union member check out http://www.uniondemocracy.org
VOTE NO ON THIS POS CONTRACT!
Voted no. Know of nobody voting yes. I don’t expect our votes to matter as it seems it can get ratified even without the votes but so be it. ..the power to change the things I can change and accept the things I can’t change, or something like that.
I think this contract is going to gut the very reason for belonging to IATSE or paying dues (I wonder if I can get my huge initiation fee back). But all I can do is vote no and hope for the best.
Anyone who hasn’t voted yet: Please don’t vote without reading the memorandum and focussing your attention specifically to the parts about “new media.” Forget about what AFTRA or DGA agreed to. (Just because your friends jump off a bridge doesn’t mean you have to!) Read it. Imagine what AMPTP members can DO with that as the new framework for production payment and conditions. And then vote whatever looks to be in your best interest–the union leadership spin or your own eyes!
There’s not much else you CAN do.
To Local 800 member “Anonymous” and anyone else with questions about the actual ballot and the proper way to vote, here it is in glorious color:
http://400hours.com/400bannervotinginstructions.html
Kudos, Scott. Well done, brother. Keep the Faith.
I voted NO !
Please Vote NO NO NO NO NO NO No NO NO NO NO
Understand this is a horrible contract-
FORGET THE SPIN from the idiots who approved of this unfair deal.
VOTE NO
Everyone is Voting this thing Down !!!
So now that the voting is over I have a feeling everybody will be saying they voted no? Well we’ll see how it goes in a couple of years or sooner won’t we? Everybody voted no on this crap of a contract yet somehow it passed, …. hmmmmm. I guess that the non-union work I did in the late 80′s was OK. Of course I was a much younger person back then wasn’t I. O well, we can always look forward to three years from now. Bush and Dick C. slipped quietly away and so will the current IATSE and local 600 leaders ….
god bless LEO REED
you’all should be teamsters