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What is the deal with unions?


Brian Maier

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Im still pretty new to production sound with around a dozen projects mixing and/or booming under my belt.  Can someone give me the low down on the various unions?  How do they work?  How do you get in/out?  Benifits?  Experiences?  I'll be honest I have never been a huge fan of "Unions", but it seems that it is the nature of the industry so I would like to learn how they work. Thanks!

Brian

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There is no simple answer to your query, and it is a good question in today's world. I am probably not the best person to give you all the answers because of my particular experience with the I.A.. A brief history for me, starting with my joining a Class Action lawsuit in 1972 to gain the right to even JOIN the Union, to the present day where I am on the Executive Board of Directors for the I.A. Sound Local here on the West Coast, illuminates some of where I am coming from. I still firmly believe in the concept of unionism (certainly as taught to me by father who is old enough to have been around for the birth of the labor movement in the US) but I am equally put off by the implementation of this in our present union. The main union that presides over the craft work thart we do is the I.A. (the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees) and the vast majority of jobs are done under one of the over 30 contracts the I.A. has with employers. Although the so-called Entertainment business is unique in many respects, things that set it apart from many other industries and their labor / management relations, work within our industry still needs for labor to have an organization larger than oneself to protect wages and working conditions. From a practical standpoint, the union (however good or bad you may feel it is) is a necessary thing for you to secure reasonable employment (even on the ever increasing UN-reasonable jobs that are out there). So, at the very least (and this has been said by many who are totally fed up with our union) the union gives you the necessary "work permit" that allows you to accept employment. At its very best (and this is seldom realized in today's world) the union provides you with decent wages (a base pay scale form which you can negotiate UP but no one can negotiate down), predictable, safe and reasonable working conditions (although there are several union contracts that allows the employer to routinely break some of the most fundamental state laws governing the workplace) and benefits (union pension, health and welfare).

The bottom line is that if you intend to continue working in the industry, and depending on what sector of work you will want to do, you will have to deal with the current realities of the I.A., and it's not a pretty picture.

I will be happy to give you more specific detailed guidance on all of this but I don't think we can deal with all the issues right here and now. Feel free to email me at jw@jwsound.net.

Regards,  Jeff Wexler

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Production sound people are usually pretty independent minded, and a lot like small service businesses

like contractors and plumbers etc..  Unions are very much a two-edged sword for us, because on the one hand there is undeniably safety and negotiating power in numbers (as well as info sharing) and on the other having those things requires one to give up a measure of control over one's life and work.  I've been very angry with the IA many times about issues both general and those that pertained specifically to me and what they would say I could or couldn't do, but there really isn't a clear alternative for a person who has decided to make a life as a movie technician, especially on bigger jobs.  Free-lancers are always looking for ways to connect with other people in their same situtation, before internet forums like this one unions were one of the only ways to network and meet people.  There is also the benefit of group health insurance and pension plans.  We are approaching a kind of crossroads now, with the IA not being so interested in organizing people who do not work for their major signitors (or so it seems to me), so what the fate of people like me who work mostly outside the studio/TV network structure remains to be seen.

Philip Perkins

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Thanks for the replys.

From a practical standpoint, the union (however good or bad you may feel it is) is a necessary thing for you to secure reasonable employment (even on the ever increasing UN-reasonable jobs that are out there).

This was the main reason for my post.

Production sound people are usually pretty independent minded, and a lot like small service businesses

I agree, ive run a film transfer business since 2001 as well as being professional mountain biker competing/performing around the world.  So im definatly of the independent mindset, but I want to be realistic about how the system works.

Ill check out the IA site for some more details.

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Most union members just join and enjoy whatever benefits that come to them without any participation.  That's a problem with unions lately.  The very term "union" has that name because it's the power of individuals together that makes them strong.  Within your local union, a small number of people can make effective changes and those that don't participate get whatever results come from their non-caring.  Most people fit in that category these days and it's surprising that unionism still thrives as well as it does under this state. 

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