INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES,
MOVING PICTURE TECHNICIANS, ARTISTS AND ALLIED CRAFTS of the
UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES AND CANADA
ALASKA IDAHO MONTANA OREGON WASHINGTON
HELD AT: MASON TRADES BUILDING
PORTLAND, OREGON
DATE: Saturday, January 15, 2000 at 1:00 PM
At 1:10 p.m., January 15, 2000, the 52nd Convention of District One, IATSE, commenced and the following proceedings were held.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: I would like to call this Interim Convention of District No. One to order, the first District of the NEW MILLENNIUM, and the first off year Convention of District No. One. I was looking through the records and could not fine any off year Conventions of District No. One. And with that, I will turn it over to our Chairperson, International Representative Sandra England who has been appointed by President Short to chair this meeting as she did our last meeting in Toronto.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thank you, and at this point we will appoint temporary officers: The Sergeant of Arms will be Gary Field, Local 918 from the great state of Alaska. Role call: from
| LOCAL # | CITY & STATE | DELEGATE NAME |
| Local 15 | Seattle, Washington | Jerry Crangi |
| Local 15 | Seattle, Washington | Diana J. Gervais |
| Local 15 | Seattle, Washington | Laurel Horton |
| Local 15 | Seattle, Washington | Allison Birchwood |
| Local 28 | Portland, Oregon | John R. DiSciullo |
| Local 28 | Portland, Oregon | James Burbach |
| Local 28 | Portland, Oregon | Tom Bugas |
| Local 93 | Spokane, Washington | LeRoy M. Fregnle |
| Local 240 | Billings, Montana | No Delegate |
| Local 339 | Missoula, Montana | No Delegate |
| Local 488 | Pacific Northwest | Charles A. Carlsen |
| Local 488 | Pacific Northwest | Sandra England |
| Local 488 | Pacific Northwest | Phillip E. LaFond |
| Local 488 | Pacific Northwest | Robert Riggs |
| Local 488 | Pacific Northwest | Joel Youngerman |
| Local 675 | Eugene, Oregon | Brian R. Ference |
| Local 793 | State of Washington | No Delegate |
| Local 871 | Hollywood, California | Lainie Miller |
| Local 887 | Seattle, Washington | Benita M. Hyder |
| Local 918 | Anchorage, Alaska | Gary Field |
| Local 925 | Boise, Idaho | No Delegate |
| Local B-20 | Portland, Oregon | No Delegate |
| Local B-20 | Portland, Oregon | No Delegate |
We also have no guests at this time. Is there anybody who has not been accounted for? If not we will submit this hearing no objections as the Delegates for this Convention, which leaves us with a total of 16 Delegates and 17 votes.
COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: For our 52nd Convention:
Resolutions: Robert Riggs and Diana Gervais.
Grievance: Charlie Carlsen and Lainie Miller.
Finance: LeRoy Frengle, Laurel Horton and Brian Ference
Insurance: Benita Hyder and Tom Bugas.
Constitution: Phil LaFond and Allison Birchwood.
Organizing: James Burbach, Jerry Crangi and Joel Youngerman.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Reading of the minutes of the previous convention and Final Curtain and I will hand it over to the District Secretary for the reading of the previous convention minutes. All though I would accept a motion, seeing that they were mailed to everybody. Is there anybody who does not have the minutes that were mailed out? I would accept a motion since that they were read by the Locals that we could suspend the reading of the minutes. Hearing none we will read the minutes.
DELEGATE RIGGS LOCAL 488: So moved.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Do I have a second?
DELEGATE LAFOND LOCAL 488: Second.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Does everybody understand the motion? So everybody got it, had the opportunity to read it that we are going to dispense with the reading here. All in favor signify by saying I, opposed, so ordered.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: Now that we are on tape I am not going to write everybody?s name please give your name before you speak so I will know what to type in the minutes.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: We have verbatim minutes of the last convention and will do the same here today. This moves us to the report of the District Secretary:
SECRETARY DISCIULLO:
52nd CONVENTION DISTRICT NO. 1, I.A.T.S.E.
REPORT OF THE DISTRICT SECRETARY
This is the 52nd Convention of District No. One. Also I feel this is the first District Convention to be held in the 21st Century. This report will cover the financial standing and events of this District that pertain to my duties as District Secretary.
Since the 51st Convention in Toronto, Ontario we have 13 Locals in District No. One. We lost Local 154, Seattle, Washington who merged with Local 15, Seattle, Washington. At the end of the 4th quarter of 1999 the membership of District No. One is as follows: Local 15, Seattle, Washington: 225, Local 28, Portland, Oregon: 160, Local 93, Spokane, Washington: 56, Local 240, Billings, Montana: 25, Local 339, Missoula, Montana: 36, Local 488, Pacific Northwest: 410, Local 675, Eugene, Oregon: 36, Local 793, State of Washington: 31, Local 871, Hollywood, California has 10 members in District No 1, Local 887, Seattle, Washington: 53, Local 918, Anchorage, Alaska: 28, Local 925, Boise, Idaho: 9, and Local B-20, Portland, Oregon: 76 for a total of 1155 members paying Per Capita. This total is up 97members since our last Convention. As of this report Locals 339, 793 and 925 have not paid their 4th Quarter Dues.
Local 15, 93, 339, 675 and 887 are still covered under the District Insurance Plan with United of Omaha. The Locals are paying $2.70 per member per month. The amount has been guarantee for the rest of this year.
The printing of the 1998 Convention Proceedings was $236.55 for twenty-five copies. To have the minutes taken by the John E. Conner Co. was a bill of $1,490.35. It seams a lot of money, but it made it a better recording of the Convention and saved me a lot of time in transcribing if for the tapes. We should probably talk about this at this Convention
The General Account Balances: December 31, 1999: $18, 065.17. The Insurance Fund Balances: December 31, 1999: $6,843.38. For a full breakdown of expenditures, see the enclosed Balance Sheets.
During the past year and one half the District paid 3 members from Eugene $150.00 to attend a NEC Class in Portland given by Local 28. In March of 1999 the District paid for a lunch in Seattle when President Short paid a visit to the Seattle area and the District paid $500.00 to Local 15 to help defray some of the expenses of the WTO Mobilization in Seattle.
International Representative Sandra England will give a report on her progress in the Pacific Northwest and what is going on with regards to the International.
As I reported at the last Convention District No. One received $5,000.00 from the International Defense Fund to create a standardized and consistent competency-based training program to measure skill level among the motion picture electrical workers and current stage, film and video electrical workers. As of the date we have spent the balance of the money that was reported at the last Convention.
The Web Page is doing fine and since May 13, 1998 we have had of 2300 hits on the page. The most hits on the site have been in the older history pages. The pages in the early 1900's are the most hit with some pages over 250 hits. I would still like more information from the Locals to put on their pages, but as of now I have had no input. This site belongs to all the Unions and would hope that we can start off the new century with more information from the Locals.
Finally, I want to thank all the Locals in the District for their help during the past year and one half.
John R. DiSciullo Secretary, District No. One
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: At this time I will take a motion to accept the report of the District Secretary or any additions or corrections.
DELEGATE HORTON LOCAL 15: I have a correction of the membership of Local 15, it seams to be missing the projectionist.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: No, that was the total number of members as of December 31, 1999 and does not show the 15 or more you added on as of the Quarterly report you just sent me.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Any other or additions corrections? Hearing none I will take a motion to accept.
DELEGATE BUGAS LOCAL 28: So moved.
DELEGATE HORTON LOCAL 15: Second.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: You have heard the motion? Is there anyone on the question. Hearing none.
DELEGATE YOUNGERMAN LOCAL 488: Is the exception of this, is not I am assuming accepting the recommendations of the Secretary.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: No, it?s accepting the report of the Secretary and we will vote on the per-diem as a separate issue.
SECRETARY DiSCIULLO: We will refer that to the Finance Committee.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Any other parts of your report that should go to other committees?
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: No, I think in general we should just talk about the minutes.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Anybody else on the question? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I, opposed, so ordered.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Final Curtain:
DISTRICT DA'S--JULY 1, 1998-DECEMBER 31, 1999
DEATH'S 1998
1 to 2 Prior to 1998 Convention
| DA# | DOD | NAME | LOCAL | Check | Amount |
| 3-774U | 07/31/1998 | Robert W. Diehl |
15 |
1806063 | $1,500.00 |
| 4-775U | 10/12/1998 | Paul A. Morse | 339 | 1813365 | $1,500.00 |
| 5-776U | 10/31/1998 | David A. Jones | 15 | 1836580 | $2,000.00 |
| 6-777U | 12/29/1998 | Ezell Smith | HWD | 1869669-70 | $2,000.00 |
| 7-778U | 01/04/1999 | Charles E. Gilbert | 91 | 2 Checks | $1,500.00 |
| 8-779U | 04/29/1999 | Arthur E. Tosland Jr. | 154 | 970815 | $1,500.00 |
| 9-780U | 02/26/1999 | Audon Davis | 93 | 1976900 | $1,500.00 |
| 10-781U | 06/14/1999 | James A. Kirbach | HWD | 2003314 | $1,500.00 |
| 11-782U | 03/04/1999 | Howard W. Gillis | 15 | 2010659 | $1,500.00 |
| 12-783U | 07/12/1999 | Richard J. Pappas | 154/15 | 2018320 | $2,000.00 |
| 13-784U | 07/30/1999 | Charles Q. Gibson | 75/154 | 2038822 | $1,500.00 |
| 14-785U | 10/10/1999 | Vern L. Johnson | 339 | $1,500.00 | |
| 15-786U | 2/20/1999 | Ernest J. Patrick, Jr. | 28 | $1,500.00 |
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Report of the Advisory Board. Now is there anybody here who can tell me who the Chairman of the Advisory Board was?
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: Phil Lafond. Weren?t you Chairman of the Advisory Board, Phil?
DELEGATE LAFOND LOCAL 488: No.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: So, I would say the lesson to be learned here is that it probably didn?t function because nobody knew who the heck was on it. John, look up and see who was on the Advisory Board.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: I have a list, that?s the thing that bothers me. Phil was the Chairman of the Constitution Committee. I did not win the million bucks. Do you want to go on with something else while I find it?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: No, because the next is Legislative Committee, and if someone can tell me who is on that, it?s worth 5 minutes of long distance. No you can?t be on it to say that. The question to come out of this, and maybe we should before we go into these Committee Reports, I would take a motion to suspend the order of business and talk about one key thing, what are we going to do about this District and what do you guys want to do with this District.
DELEGATE BRITCHWOOD LOCAL 15: So moved.
We then suspended the order of business and discussed the following.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: What the heck are we doing here? We have all these Committees and stuff, and we meet once every three years and we don?t do anything. The truth is what do these Committees do? What are we going to have these Committees do? And, if I am going to appoint new Committees just to appoint new Committees, that seams silly. What are we doing? We have small groups, there no one here from the International be me here, lets talk about what we are doing here. What do you guys want it to do? Are we just put money in to it to have a party every 18 months or every 3 years?
DELEGATE CRANGI LOCAL 15: Being a organizer I feel we should make a commitment to organize our locals jurisdiction, training at least one person in every local by sending them to the Organizing Institute Training. At lease one person during the first half of 2000 and come up with a plan for each local to organize and finally how to deal with SCS. Come up with a plan District wide to deal with SCS.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Let me ask a question, down in Eugene, are you affected by Stage Crew Services? Do they reach all the way down there?
DELEGATE FERENCE LOCAL 675: I don?t think so.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Because you guys really battle with the students at the college, more than SCS, like that big fight with the Rolling Stones. So it does effect you. In Alaska in terms of labor contractors, are you guys finding the same problem there with labor contractors? So that?s not a problem. I don?t think we have a labor contractor problem in Montana. So this is really an Oregon, Washington and Idaho thing. What would say in Alaska is your biggest threat to your local up there you think in term of non-union labor? Is their non-union labor up there?
DELEGATE FIELD LOCAL 918: I think is mostly from ourselves. Right now we have members that go out and hire non-union help.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: But there is no formal like employer who has these guys? In terms of the Studio Mechanics Local, what do you feel in the biggest problem in organizing, as it is not labor contractors?
DELEGATE YOUNGERMAN LOCAL 488: In Seattle at least it?s the local commercial and industrial companies.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Lainie, do you have a sense of what the problem is for your folks up here?
DELEGATE MILLER LOCAL 871: It?s two fold because is a little different with Script Supervisors when it comes to non-union labor.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: So the question really becomes we have everybody in this room from all over the District and we are saying that we have similar problems. What is it we can do together to make it better? Instead of just having this District meeting, we get together and eat some food and visit and if that is what you want the District to be, then there is value in that so at least that is what you all want. But at this point, I want to open it up and say this District can be anything you want it to be. What do you want it to be? I?m willing to put in the work and help you guy?s coordinate what ever it is, but it just seems like we have these District Meetings and put together committees and we go away and nobody remembers who?s on the committees.
DELEGATE MILLER LOCAL 871: It seems to me with the web sight you have, it can be used to talk to one another and be able to pass on information and giving the other locals information on employers and how the locals have solved the problems.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: That?s a great idea. Has everyone here seen the District Web site? I got a call yesterday from District Two Secretary saying that we should be getting a lot of heat from District Two because we have a better Web Site than the deep pocket kids down in California. So this has come about because of a lot of hours Mr. DiSciullo worked to put it together.
DELEGATE BIRCHWOOD LOCAL 15: Is there anyway way we can create a firewall on the site so we could have discussions with each other. I have a concern about using bulletins boards to discuss problems that anybody can get into on that site. With a firewall we could discuss our problems without everybody knowing about it.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Is that possible John?
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: I guess we can.
DELEGATE MILLER LOCAL 871: We have a retired member who is going to work on our Web Site and will check with him and pass on the information to you.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: That recommendation will be taken and we will see what we can do, and that will be reverted to the Grievance Committee. Really, I just wanted to throw this open in an informal way and talk about what we?re doing with the District, and where you want this to go. I can just go back to the formal process of who is on the Committees. Let?s appoint some more Committees and go away and come back and everybody will forget what we did. I really think that it?s worth talking informally for a minute and talking about where were going. The District has changed so much since I first came up here. Most of the Locals have done a good job in transforming their Locals from something that they use to be, to a culture of organizing and the Studio Mechanics Local is maturing as it were from a baby local to one of the more establish locals of the District and we have now a brand new Broadcasting Local with jurisdiction we never had. So the District has changed and is growing, but the District its self all most not functioning.
DELEGATE HORTON LOCAL 15: It would be really helpful for to me because this is my second time at a convention. I know that we have an Organizing Committee and I know we need an Organizing Committee and I know we have an Advisory Board but I don?t know what there supposed do.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: I do know what you mean. So far we have an Advisory Board, Legislation Committee and I have appointed an Organizing Committee. Now the Organizing Committee is supposed to keep communications open and deal with problems that are common to the District so we coordinate our organizing activities of the District, so we are not duplicating information or efforts. Especially when there is a common treat to our locals. The Legislative Committee is supposed to keep the lines of communications open and monitor legislative action in their respected states and keep in communications with other states about what anti labor legislation is going on in their state so other states will know what?s going on. This will help in getting rid of payroll protection crap that?s going on a other labor related bills, so we don?t duplicate our efforts for action where we don?t have to and we can act with one voice back to our legislators. The final one is the Advisory Board, which is supposed to be the body within this District that looks at the District and says were are we taking this District. Where do we want to go together? What action do we need to take? How do we protect our members of the District, and this is supposed to be one person from each state that are elected from each state. Those are the standing committees of the District. The other committees are appointed at each convention and then dismissed after the convention. I go to a lot of these meetings and most of them are just a formality. I think if we are going to have these meetings, I don?t want to waste your time by getting you here and spend the money of our members by saying we had a party without taking some kind action.
DELEGATE FIELD LOCAL 918: As far as what we want, I haven?t talked to anyone in this room, but I can tell you what Alaska needs. We are really remote; we don?t have money for legal resources. Some of our wages are higher in some venues and lower in others. There is no full time work, which also adds to our problem. Everybody needs other work to make a living. We have a non-union venue that is also taking work away from our members. I don?t mean to discuss our specific problems, but I would like to set up something where we can discuss similar problems.
DELEGATE YOUNGERMAN LOCAL 488: I?m confused. Your making twenty an hour and the employer is paying someone else twenty-five dollars and hour and they don?t want a contract? I thought it was all about money.
DELEGATE FIELD LOCAL 918: It?s the riggers. The riggers pay is higher. Because the riggers are not union in every situation, they do as little as possible and hire us last.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Not Showco, Showco is out of New York.
DELEGATE MILLER 871: Is it specifically just have to deal with it? Anytime any place. Slow learners catching up with the rest of us. A Symbiotic relationship. So some people might be stronger in some area. (Cannot decipher what she?s saying on tape.)
DELEGATE BIRCHWOOD LOCAL 15: Do you have an agreement? Don?t settle with these guys.
DELEGATE FIELD LOCAL 918: They only come to us when they can?t fill the calls.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO LOCAL 28: This is a good subject. I kind of thought we would get more input from the locals. That we could put out a web page. The stuff to put on as far as education and news I took Jerry?s letter and put it on for the WTO thing and it did create a lot of hits. That came up with snap.com and it came up on I.A.T.S.E. The situation is as far as I?m concerned I have got one letter from local asking two things. From Jerry about WTO and the organizing stuff. There is not one letter from any local about an Advisory or Executive board meeting. Now, if I don?t get it everything is okay. I?m not going out and dig it up. If you want to put something out and you get a problem. It seems like someone should write something. Nobody wrote anything.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: I think what?s going on is people don?t think of the district as a resource. We are in a cycle. We have to stop it. Lets start again. You say people don?t communicate with me, so nothing must be wrong. It feeds on itself. Today we stop that.
DELEGATE HORTON LOCAL 15: I just want to talk about these committees again. It would be great to appoint some people. These seem like good committees. The advisory board is good to have, but who?s willing to do this work? You go back and say I?d like to be on this committee because, I want to do this work. If we don?t make committee appointments like that, then it?s never gonna work.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Let?s take the Legislative Committee. There should be someone in each local to gather this information in terms of legislation. The disconnect that happens is between that person and the legislative person on the committee. It?s not like we don?t have the information, but it just doesn?t flow. It stops. It doesn?t flow. It?s that extra step of work is what?s hard. I think the web page will help. If we start using it more effectively it could help. It could be a tool to work more effectively.
DELEGATE HORTON LOCAL 15: It?s great. Do they have to be in this room to be on the committee? If we have people in our local who do the work, can we offer them up on a committee?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: No they have to be the delegate but there?s nothing that says you can?t get someone else to do it. You don?t have to do it, but you have to get it done. Under the signature of the president of the local. It?s not that you personally have to do it. But you have to personally make sure it gets done. Get me?
SECRETARY DISCIULLO LOCAL 28: We have a bigger problem. We have no elections at this convention. Guess what? There isn?t one member here of the Advisory Board here that was elected between conventions. The only active committees according to the constitution are the Legislative and Advisory.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: We have the Organizing Committee because I?m appointing one.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO LOCAL 28: Okay that?s not in the constitution. That does not help when none of the Advisory Board are still in the local.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: The chairperson has the authority to fill the vacancies between appointments on all these committees. When these people have gone on to other things, we should have filled those vacancies. As the Chairperson I should keep a better eye on that. I?ll keep a better eye on that.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO LOCAL 28: Other districts must have some way in their constitution to replace these positions.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: District 2, they?re rather stable committees. They meet once a year at the West Coast Office. They meet as needed.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO LOCAL 28: So if somebody was elected during the regular convention and then someone dies. Do they replace them?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: The Chairperson makes the appointment. Then the vote has to be approved by the rest of the Executive Committee that?s how they work.
DELEGATE BURBACH LOCAL 28: The Local elections don?t always jive with the International Convention. How do you deal with that?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Just as I was saying, whatever takes a constitutional change. We should work out how we want this thing to function. If the person is no longer eligible to be a delegate the chair would make a new appointment and then the committee would meet to confirm that appointment. We are gonna have to have an executive committee meeting. We are gonna have some way to get people on the committee. Or just say for get it and just re-elect Johnny and just give him some money.
DELEGATE FERENCE LOCAL 793: Alaska mentioned the issue needing legal help. Would there be any value in any time a local gets legal help and gets answers to legal questions they can share this with the Alaska Local? Can we share that somehow with the web page?
SECRETARY DISCIULLO LOCAL 28: I think we are getting back to the firewall. In some instances you want everybody to have a password, because it may be something you want a password for. You may not want that subject on the web.
DELEGATE YOUNGERMAN LOCAL 488: The key is find ways to keep communication open. E-mail or whatever. You get home and you don?t think about it. If it means a web page or picking up a telephone we need to communicate for more often. For my money there?s no substitute face to face.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Maybe it?s meetings with the committees. Do you want this to be different? If we want it to be different, let?s do something. If not, fine. What ever you guys want.
DELEGATE YOUNGERMAN 488: We?ve seen it in Seattle, the cooperative relationship between the local15, 887 and 488 and how effective it can be. It?s something that everybody should be able to share.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: And ironically that?s the majority of the membership of the district
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: 793 in the State of Washington is a new local in the district. They are the television broadcast remote studio employees. Currently on a national organizing drive with mobile television, and prevailed in the election which took us a year and a half almost two years to negotiate that first contract. Where these employees fought us tooth and nail, but in the end we got the very big contract out of MMT. It provided for the first time for these guys to have any sort of job security. Just cause hiring and firing. They got a new safety committee out of it. Travel language that they never had, travel provisions that they never had, travel pay that they didn?t have. A grievance procedure to address grievances. A very good training provision that provides that the employer is responsible for training and new technology training with the broadcast employees. That no worker would be displaced because of new technology. That it?s their responsibility to keep the technicians trained in the new technology. If technology came about that would displace a technician they had to be re-trained instead of let go and that they couldn?t hire outside without retraining the technicians. They got a health plan. All in all it was a hard fought battle and we came out with a decent agreement in the end that provided for things these guys as freelance technicians never had, and in some cases never expected to gain. They?re very active in this sector the IA is, well I?ll speak about that later in this form. Local 793 they?re a brand new local and it?s a sector that we expect to continue to grow and expect to be adding units in the state of Oregon at some point. That?s probably what we did with the Studio Mechanics Local when our organizing efforts pay off in that way. It will eventually be a Northwest Local like the Studio Mechanics local. It?s a local to watch.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO LOCAL 28: How do they put that yellow line on the football field?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Were gonna have to get Jim Walsh. Right now we got about 35 members that?s voluntarily signed up as members before we even had a contract. So now we have a contract with the security clause that?s gonna be up around 70 before it?s over. Probably half the guys voluntarily joined before we have a contract. So the other of um are sitting out they?re waiting to say Gees now I have to join and I?ll join. By the middle of baseball season when everybody will turn around and have health benefits then I?m gonna go out and say it?s time for you to join.
DELEGATE YOUNGERMAN LOCAL 488: What?s the status of Fox Sports Northwest?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Fox Sports Northwest is will kick backup during Baseball season. What I said to those guys this time is I?m not filing again. We?re not having another election. This year I?m gonna have two trucks over at the ballpark. One is gonna be the NRT truck where everybody that?s getting the rate plus training and benefits and has just cause firing and hiring has a steward in the truck to help em out. Has a safety committee to make sure that the all this stuff. And the boxcar Northwest everybody making the rate and eating pizza. So you pick which one you want to be in and we will see this summer. Now I?ll file for an election and I?m probably going to but not unless everyone of those guys in those trucks come up and tell me I?m ready. I?ve lost two elections. And I don?t want to be embarrassed again. Sorry. If they are ready to go then we?ll go. I?m sick of sticking my neck out and only having someone demonstrate their willingness to cut my head off. So now I?m gonna wait for them to say Gee who are those guys with benefits and training and stewards and job security. They?re families are being taken care of. I think we will have another election that?s gonna be about the middle of the season when everybody gets a little sick of the fact that there?s a lot of difference between the two trucks.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO LOCAL 28: When Fox goes in there are there two crews?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Here?s what happens in Broadcast. There are two shows. There?s a home show that is being broadcast in your local area. Then there?s a whole separate show. If the Mariners are playing the Bluejays there?s a truck there that?s broadcasting because they all have their own personalities and their own show. There are usually two trucks and sometimes there are three trucks. Let?s say you have a Japanese pitcher that day. They will have a third truck to beam it back to Japan. Everything there?s a new show there is a new truck. I predict we end up with Fox Sports Northwest by the end of Baseball season. I look the guys straight in the face and say "You want to be non-union? Have at it. All of that was good when you stood between us getting a contract, but now we got a contract so you know what? Go ahead and eat your pizza". It?s been a hard fight. National Mobile Television has more money than they know what to do with and they used to fight us and there gonna use it to fight me down in Texas and they?re gonna use it to fight me all over the country but in the end. This is not a National Contract. This is a move toward coordinated bargaining on behalf of these broadcast locals. Like with the Film Mechanics we have more people outside the local than inside the local and we were getting our butts kicked, that?s where we are in broadcast right now. It?s the same thing where they talk to these guys not about the hourly rate is. They can tell you what the day rate is. And they play that game where oh yea what?s your day rate? Then we?ll move the hours around to make it justify our money and I?ll pay in benefits and half of them believe they are lucky to have a job. Gee they?re giving me a tee-shirt and letting me into the baseball game. So there is a lot of that to confront. You got all the new guys who are scared to death. These young kids who come out of technical college just want to work. You got these old guys who have been doing it for years and when they finally get sick of doing it for years, for nothing, they go on the nationals, the network shows and make a little more money, but then you have the corresponding hike in divorce rates. They are never home anymore and I believe if we stabilize this work force in their home towns they can stay home and make benefits then we?re gonna see the fruits of our labors across the country. Then we are able to do coordinated bargaining. We will be able to eat the lunch of these companies who are kicking us around right now. For my money it?s a lot like we did for the Studio mechanics Locals of having to out and organize large groups of freelance workers in their hometowns and give them the responsibility for governing themselves and help them to bargain. I?m hoping we don?t go to National contract kind of thing that we did we the Studio Mechanics Local because I think it?s a little bit different, but I do see an application for coordinated bargaining instead of National agreements. As long as I?m heading the thing up that?s the direction I?m going. The Business Agent is a guy named Jim Wallace, he was ten years the Steward over at KING TV, he?s a technical director, he?s a very sharp guy. I feel very blessed that he floated to the top and took the responsibility over and there are a lot of great guys in that group. It?s mostly guys. They are a 15 to 35 white guy local. They work hard and it?s they?re first time participating in a union. In terms of participating, it?s been fun to work with them. That? s Local 793.
DELEGATE MILLER LOCAL 871: Can not understand tape. Report of progress.
DELEGATE GARY LOCAL 918 ANCHORAGE ALASKA: All contracts have been renewed. 2%. We will have 28 to 30 members by the end of the year perhaps 37 members.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: 925 BOISE IDAHO is a big question mark local. I know that Bob Trombetta our International representative has been over there trying to renew their contract. But I think the station has changed hands and they?re in a successful bargaining situation. I?m not sure who ended up, I should have checked it out before I came here but it?s that broadcast local there and it?s for one station. So the whole local consists of the employees at a station.
B-20 PORTLAND, OREGON: The Admission staff, the ticket takers, ushers, gate attendants, elevator operators, they are all union in the city of Portland.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: This local should be commended.
Back to the B-20. When I got here the city was trying to destroy the union. They successfully managed to negotiate a better contract and stay together. The city tried to throw them out and they actually brought them together. It?s run mostly by volunteers. They are functioning like a local. They increased their membership. In the city of Portland, the moment you enter a theater all the people you come in contact with are I.A.T.S.E. members. The Standard Trade Report of the District and it?s constituent locals. At this time (Sandy was interrupted by someone who asked about Idaho. Sandy replied that Boise is represented and John DiSciullo invited them to attend the meeting.)
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: The city of Portland (PCPA/Metro) is there employer. We represent them all here in the city of Portland. That would be the State of Trade Report of the District and it?s constituent locals. At this time (Sandra was interrupted by a gentleman who said he hadn?t heard that Salt Lake was in there jurisdiction) They are now by virtue of the fact that they represent the Stagehands in Boise Idaho. They control all of Salt Lake. Steve Ruth is still the Business Agent.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: Do they have members in Boise?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Yea they do, I was there to help them organize.
PERSON FROM FLOOR: I?d like to make an observation about the state of trade if I may. There were eight full reports given just now and five of them specifically mention trading. Local 99 have the hottest apprenticeship training programs around. But it seems like it?s a common problem we all share.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: I would suggest that we refer to that to the Advisory Committee for recommendations.
PERSON FROM FLOOR: I move that the Advisory Committee discuss the strategy to have local?s coordinate in their effort to training their members.
LOCAL 15: 2ND the motion.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: So moved.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: As far as trade is concerned, and about this money we had from the International for this Electrical Training in the State of Oregon. We have electrical licenses, and part of our membership in Local 28 is you must have a bona fide state electrical license to expand. We have had all this information available, the trouble is that in some of the other areas it does not fit. That?s the bad part because ours was made up for the State of Oregon. We do have a lot of training information as far as the code is concerned we have one gentleman that gives an excellent class on the code. It takes a week in here anywhere form five to seven hours to take this code class and it ends up with a test which goes in accordance with what the State is giving. It?s a tough test to pass and 28 has a very good education program there?s only one little problem. We just can?t get very many people to attend the classes. We?re governed by the State Apprenticeship Committee which is tough and they have to do so many hours of classes each year or else they don?t get advanced and it?s really tough to get enough of pour people enough hours so they can advance. Work hours are counted in some instances but they have made some pretty tough restrictions on the programs. I?m speaking for every local in this hall because the brick layers, cement masons, are all in the same boat it?s really getting tough to run the apprenticeship program in the State of Oregon. You have somebody that really knows the code.
SEATTLE LOCAL 15: We don?t have to do licenses at this point. There has been a lot of discussion about us having to get licenses.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: We have a couple of people who can teach the code. It?s not an easy thing to do. The code for temporary service is a real pain. It?s long and there are 20 or 30 sections. We have one guy who upgrades our curriculum. If you want to do an electrical program, find someone who can teach it.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: All right, at this point we?re gonna take an adjournment of the delegates assembled to meet in our committees. This point in the afternoon 3:30 I think that the time that the committees meet shall be about forty-five minutes? We?ll come back and cover unfinished business and new business. We don?t have to elect officers today. Were not installing officers today. The committees will come back with recommendations and we?ll act on those recommendations and that?s what we got to do.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: At this point we will take reports from the temporary committees. We?ll hear from the Resolutions Committee first.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE: This is I.A.T.S.E. District One resolution to adopt a code of conduct regarding the use of I.A.T.S.E. insignia. Result that I.A.T.S.E. District One local?s will adopt a quota conduct that will allow us only to use our insignia on union made garments and hear we changed where-ever possible to if available. Or products made in the United States or Canada and to use union printers and embroidery shops. It?s finally resolved that I.A.T.S.E. District One and it?s delegates will support adopting this code throughout this alliance at the next international convention.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Does the maker of the resolution agree with the editorial changes. You made the recommendations that?s concurrent with the resolution is there any discussion?
DELEGATE BIRCHWOOD LOCAL 15: There?s a typo in the last resolve.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: So noted. Any more discussion?
DELEGATE JOE YOUNGERMAN 488: The only question I have was any though given to the use of Union printers?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Mr. DiSciullo has a good union place here in Portland. If you have problems with it talk to your District Secretary, he has several places you can use.
DELEGATE BUGAS LOCAL 28: On this topic, Local 28 has total union made stuff.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: I?m surprised that people are having trouble because I get several places in the mail from around the country. Don?t you get that stuff up there in Seattle?
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: There is one in Seattle called Dulong.
It has to be union shops and I don?t know that about the territories. Just make sure it?s a reputable company. Anything else on the question! So moved. We?ll direct that that resolution be sent to all the locals of the district. Also post it on the web page. Grievance Committee?
GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE: We?d like to thank Bother DiSciullo for his work on the web site. We made a recommendation to the Finance Committee that they allow us to build a firewall on our software.
DELEGATE TOM BUGAS LOCAL 28: Moved to make a recommendation for firewall.
DELEGATE BILL YOUNGERMAN LOCAL 488: 2nd.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Any discussion? Anybody on the question. So moved. Now we will hear from the Finance Committee.
FINANCE COMMITTEE: We have three recommendations from the District Secretary and then we did discuss the Firewall expenses. #1- The salary of the District Secretary will remain at 16 hundred dollars annually until the next District Number 1 convention.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Motion to except the recommendation?
DELEGATE FROM 488: So moved. 2nd (So ordered.)
FINANCE COMMITTEE: #2-Per capita from local unions based on membership shall remain at $1.50 per member per quarter as it is at the present time and B Local is at $12.00 per year. We discussed it and we said, yes it should remain. We recommend the acceptance of this recommendation.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Do I have a motion to accept the recommendation?
DELEGATE BURBACH LOCAL 28: Accept. 2nd by Local 15 Vote so ordered.
FINANCE COMMITTEE: #3-Per diem payments to delegates who are approved at the 52nd District Number one Convention shall be a sum calculated by the following: Seattle Delegates $150.00, Portland Delegates $100.00, Eugene Delegates $125.00, Alaska, Spokane and L.A. $225.00. Total would be $2,300.00. We had a lot of discussion about this and we talked about how much it really costs them to get here and what we came up with was Seattle $150.00, Portland $100.00, Eugene $125.00, Spokane $225.00, Alaska $500.00, LA $300.00. Total $28 hundred and fifty dollars. We thought we would pay this now and when we see how bad it hurts us at the next convention we can talk about it then.
DELEGATE BUGAS LOCAL 28: I recommend.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Proceeded with role call. That concludes the Delegates seated. It gives a total of seventeen votes. Take a motion to accept the role call. So ordered. Now we have the continuation of the Finance Committee: Is there a motion to accept that report? Are there any questions?
DELEGATE CARLSON 488: does this cover travel?
FINANCE COMMITTEE: No, it might cover mine.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Anybody else on the question? All in favor say I, all opposed? There will be a standing vote. All in favor please stand. Nine in favor. All opposed. Look at that, how honorable but you still lost. So moved.
FINANCE COMMITTEE: We decided to set aside $500.00 to this firewall to make it happen.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Is the Committee recommendations up to $500.00? Anything else on the question? So ordered.
DELEGATE CRANGI LOCAL 15: Discussed meetings with the City Council. I got a $600.00 stipend a month. I find that I spend more than 60 hours and I am missing work. I do want to finish this project. (He went on to describe needing more money to complete the work he?s doing.)
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: The thing that bothers me more than anything else is if that?s an outgoing project I don?t know why the IA was giving you money and then now they have sent it to us.
DELEGATE ALISON LOCAL 15: I work in the same office as Jerry and I can tell you he?s working his tail off on this thing and anything that works to weaken SCS is gonna benefit just about every local in the District. So I would say that in the interest of eradicating SCS it?s money well spent.
JOE YOUNGERMAN LOCAL 15: I would concur with Alison. I?ve been watching Jerry work for the last year. He worked tirelessly on WTO and he?s working tirelessly on all the other projects. I would strongly recommend acceptance.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: John we do have the money?
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Is there anyone else on the question? All in favor? Opposed? So ordered. Jerry gets the money. In turn, Jerry will keep us informed on the web with his progress in his fight against SCS. He will submit regular reports on the web about SCS and the Tacoma thing. So that brings us to the Insurance Committee.
INSURANCE COMMITTEE: (Could not understand tape.)
SECRETARY DISCULLO: 675, 339, 15, 887, 93 and B-20 will be in to it. B-20 isn?t in it yet but will be coming in. We told everybody that you can go to Union Labor Life and get out. The people over 71 are protected. There?s 130 paid up policies out there. Be my guest. Please if you have a member that passes away don?t let the Funeral Home tell the deceased wife what to do. District One is the Insurance holder. It comes to this office. I have the Beneficiary Card. Remember if anybody dies in your local let me know. I have to sign off and send the green card. If you do not have an upgraded card, you better upgrade it.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Constitution Committee. There are two questions before the Constitution Committee. #1- Do we need to amend the process in order to fill the vacancies in-between conventions? #2-How does the Advisory Committee call meetings in-between? Is that outlined in the Constitution?
CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE: We didn?t get that far.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Until the Constitution can be clarified in change about any vacancies that they appoint. The Advisory Committee will approve that vacancy. The process in-between conventions to meet is that any person that sits on the Advisory Committee can alert either the District Secretary or Chairperson of the Committee that business has to be carried out. Those meetings can be called. That?s the process and thank you very much. You guys will have to come up with recommendations before the next convention.
CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE: We have a recommendation though. That the newly appointed standing Organizing Committee that are stationed in Section 9.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: All in favor say I, all opposed. Vote so ordered.
SECRETARY DISCIULLO: Meeting of the Board. Any matter effecting Local District shall be referred to this board through the District Secretary. Such matters can be handled through correspondence shall be handled in that matter but could the Chairman decide a meeting of the Board to be necessary he shall have the power to call same. Chairman of the Advisory Board.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: The Advisory Board will meet right after new business and appoint a new Chairperson. Is there a volunteer? We could dispense with that if someone accepts the appointment. Okay so she?s the Chairperson (Laura Horton?). All in favor all opposed so ordered. On to the Organizing Committee.
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: The first question issue is how do our locals motivate the rank and file. How do we get their support? I was able to offer and urge to send members to Organizing training. You get great skills out of it. $150.00 is the cost and it?s nominal. I highly urge two training?s. The AFLCIO offers training for trainers. It?s very good. This is very good experience. We also want to exchange ideas on a place on the web site. We need to exchange ideas. We need to do research on organizing.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Jerry has been doing so much work. He?s got his hands on what?s happening in the Northwest. He?s your man. Anybody else? I move that accept the report of the Organizing Committee. All in favor. All opposed. So moved.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Chairperson England read a report/article about a high school girl's look at the WTO conference.
CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: The one thing this year I promised myself was being true to myself. 100 years from now no one will remember what was said in the contract. But we do have an opportunity everyday to make a difference in the lives of our members.
GOOD & WELFARE:
MOTION TO ADJOURN: 5:15 PM All in favor, all opposed. So ordered.
John R. DiSciullo, Secretary, District No. One
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