This year we lost two more Locals in this District, Local 117, Bellingham, Washington with members being merged with Local 15 and Local 154. Local 159 in Portland, Oregon was merged with Local 28. With losing these two Locals in the District our total membership has decreased some but Local 15 and Local 28 have shown a increase in new members to make up for some of the ones we have lost. We have 555 members under the Death Benefit Fund plus 31 Withdrawal Members and 596 members that we are collecting Per Capita on.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and hope to see a Delegate from every Local at the District #1 Convention next year. If you have any questions or problems please feel free to call me.
Our members in Missoula remained working with the new B.A. able to enjoy a long summer vacation and the now Financial Secretary-Treasurer finding the time to take three long bicycle tours. The former is a specialist in scene design while the latter helps to manage and operate one of the most uniquely decorated movie theaters in the country. If you ever travel through Missoula, be sure to stop in at the "Cinema of the Dove".
Our former B.A. and Financial Secretary-Treasurer, Irvin Renz, has retired after many long years of service and with his wife, is escaping the cold Montana winter by living in Arizona for the season. Other members seem to be all over the country with a Paramount studio executive in California and a "Southern Belle" in Alabama working on stage sets.
Local 339 is pleased to extend our best wishes to sister Locals in this Holiday Season. May the peace that comes from the birth of our Lord bless your home and families as you celebrate.
In the last few years there has been an increase in the amount of Broadway shows playing in Spokane. A local hotel owner and also the owner of the local ticket agency has decided to promote several shows each year. One of the productions, "Anything Goes", brought in this year chose Spokane to do the final production work in the Opera House. We enjoyed a full week of tech work and then a run of 5 shows. There is some talk of other productions mounting their tours here also.
It might be of interest to former Spokane residents that Jim Pearl was working as a production assistant on "Anything Goes" so we had an old home week here. We are very interested in encouraging more of these shows, as there has been a significant decrease in the amount of Rock and Roll shows playing Spokane. In the next few years we are expecting to see a now coliseum that will be able to handle some of the larger shows that pass us by now.
Last year we had a situation where a City employee who was also a member of the Local sued the City for lost overtime due to "co-employment". The City in turn named our Local as 2nd party defendants to the suit. The employee is no longer a member of the Local and the suit ended with the City offering to settle out of court. Although we didn't have to pay any of the back wages, the lawyer fees hurt a little. Because of the liability involved with the crossover employment, we have changed our policy here to have City employees paid entirely through City payroll. They are no longer carried on IATSE payrolls as we had done for many years.
This year we had an opportunity to sit down with City officials and the Opera House managers to discuss a possible contract. The talks were opened during the lawsuit by the recommendation of City Council member Sherry Barnard. The talks ended inconclusively, but, a recent phone call from Ms. Barnard, our Mayor Elect, may add another round to the negotiations.
We have been seeking a contract with the city along with existing contracts to give us a more secure work environment. At this time we have one new theatre that has been running with non-union crews. The building is only one year old and is showing more wear than the 16 year old Opera House.
In closing the members of Local #93 would like to wish our brothers and sisters and their families a busy holiday season and a prosperous 1990!
As far as work goes the year started off well and the local stayed busy through the end of June. With the discovery of asbestos in the blown insulation on the structural steel in the ceiling at the Civic Auditorium the E-R Commission in their infinite wisdom decided to close the theater for a month to extricate the problem material. Through an inadvertent error bids for the removal had not been let and the theater was closed June through August without any removal work being done. In the mean time we lost more work while the salaried staff that made the small error scrambled to try to close the theater at some future date to effect the asbestos removal. With any kind of luck the staff will be able to close us down for the removal when bookings are full. Since the fall season started we've been back at work and should stay busy through Christmas with only a slight slowdown after the first of the year.
The bad news of the year is that yet another presenter went out of business when Michael Davidson Productions filed for bankruptcy an December 6th. We regret the loss of his business and hope to see someone fill the void of promoters of legitimate theater in Portland.
After some lengthy discussions IA Rep. Walt Blanchard was able to bring about the merger of Operator's Local 159 into Local 28. Brother Blanchard graced us with his presence in order to ensure that a merger meeting between Local 159 Secretary Walt Fullmer and Local 28 Business Representative John DiSciullo proceeded without undue complications. Brother Jim Robinson and myself attended as neutral observers and I can confidently report that the merger was accomplished successfully and leaves Local 28 a stronger unit. Now the local has seven work categories with a membership 150 strong.
The centennial celebration of Local 28 will occur in 1995. In preparation for the event our local's charters have been taken to the Portland Art Museum's paper conservatory for cleaning, refurbishing and remounting. Over the years the inappropriate mounting combined with mishandling have taken their toll on these documents. Both the original 1895 charter from the National Alliance of Theatrical Employees and the 1902 charter from the International Alliance will be repaired. We will also take the Local 159 charter in for work as well. Other locals should know that inferior paper used for making charters as well as exposure to sunlight and atmospheric pollutants take their toll on these old, valuable documents. If your local wants their charter to remain in good condition for future generations you should consider contacting a paper conservator.
Now on to contract negotiations. At the start of 1989 the local was negotiating with the City's E-R Commission for our maintenance workers at the Memorial Coliseum. These negotiations turned out to be the most acrimonious we have ever encountered. The counsel for the ERC stonewalled practically every item discussed and the language for the three-year contract took almost a year to iron out. Immediately upon signing the agreement there was a problem with the implementation of the retroactivity clause and a grievance was filed that has resulted in arbitration, which is progressing slowly.
After signing that contract we began negotiations on a contract for Intermediate Theater at the Portland Center for Performing Arts (PCPA). This was originally an addendum to our master stage agreement but now it appears that it will become a stand-alone contract. The discussions have yet to begin on the master agreement for the other venues due to the indecision of the ERC about whether they wish to assume the role as sole employer for all facilities of the PCPA, Memorial Coliseum, Civic Stadium and the yet to be opened Oregon Convention Center (scheduled to open in August or September of 1990). The counsel for the ERC is continuing to cause problems in these negotiations and the Local 28 negotiating team wonders whether agreements will ever be reached or whether this will be an eternal exercise in futility. The process is confounded further by the merger of the ERC with the agency known as Metro that pushed through the creation of the new convention center and received the mandate to operate it. The new Metro Exposition-Recreation Commission (MERC) has the same players plus a few new ones and is represented by the same counsel and the same negotiators. We have hopes that a break in the action occurs soon that will allow some progress in these negotiations.
On the positive side of contracts we successfully negotiated a shop contract with R.A.Reed Productions this year. Owned by Brother Rick Reed, Reed Productions is a staging and scene shop. The only other shop contract with our local is with Northwest Cable Co. owned by Brother Nick Karaffa.
The last of the news worth noting is that the Reagan-Bush concept of health care has caught up with Local 28. We were notified by Blue Cross recently that our insurance rates will be raised almost 75% as of Jan. 1, 1990. Our trustees have been working to get us a new provider at affordable rates. Unfortunately this will undoubtedly result in a cut in benefits as well higher rates.
In the final analysis the year for Local 28 has been characterized by the changes experienced in the merger with Local 159 and the education of our officers during the hard times of contract negotiations. The next year looks rocky in places but we will make the best of it.
Ok. I have some questions.
Why do we care about training? Because we hire people with such great potential we are kept awake at night wondering where they will go. With proper training we stand to keep these people as members and to have them achieve our collective goal.
Who would like professionalism and technical skill to be recognized as a leading position over our competitors? I know I would. Without these qualities realized how can we in good conscience with increasing anti-union governmental policies?
Who would like the burden of assimilating a member's knowledge into day to day tasks lifted from their shoulders? I would. If we are all familiar with policies, products and procedures, our job goes smoother and safer.
Who would like to increase the intensity and challenge of our jobs? Often times I hear people commenting on doing the same task over and over. If a member wants to work with lasers or sound in lieu of electrics, preliminary training must be accomplished. No department wants to or has the time to teach thoroughly enough on the job. A basic level of understanding must already be formed from which a person can both learn on the job and be valued.
Finally, who has a strong commitment to the future? Times are-a-changing. The stage from which we work essentially remains the same but products change. While I like my work environment new equipment is often intimidating unless time is taken to understand it. Education is not easy but it is essential to our future.
We renewed a contract for two years with wage increases and finally signed an agreement with our new Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. We are in the process of negotiating a new contract with ACPA. We've had more work than ever before and our membership is starting to revive itself.
Our illustrious Mayor Fink (that's really his name!), decided not to fund our new performing arts center for the next year, just enough to mothball it. The assembly voted to fund it, the Mayor vetoed the budget, and the fight was on! After much "negotiating" the center was funded and life is beautiful.
We would like to say thank you to several members of our District for the help they gave to us this past year. Thank you Liz, John and Peter.
Happy Holiday to you and may the coming new year bring us all good cheer, more audio technicians and better contracts?
This now gives us 4 counties of jurisdiction. Although, it may sound impressive there are a lot of blank spots in this area.
A Company by the name of ACT III has purchased the Mayer Luxury chain of theatres in our area. We attempted to communicate with them, but received no response. We contacted the International for help and up to this writing nothing has happened. It appears the attitude of ACT III is the same as the Moyer Luxury group.
We are continuing our picketing against the one United Artists unit in downtown Seattle. Cineplex Odeon built a downtown Twin complex and we were able to acquire a contract. Also, General Cinema opened their new Renton 8 Cinemas and our recent Agreement covered that unit.
We have one contract expiring in February of 1990 for GCC split Ten Plex in Everett. All of our other Agreements are good until 1992. We completed one other negotiation recently for the Bellingham area. We were able to bring the wages up and improved their Pension contributions. We brought these units into the CBA of Seattle, and, thus will hold until 1992.
We are still continuing and improving our Training Program. This includes AudioVisual which has been increasing steadily the past couple years. For our AV jobs we are now receiving contributions from the Employers for our Health & Welfare program and the highest rate into the IATSE Pension program.
Overall, this past year, the theatre movie exhibition business has been good in our area, All members who want to work, are working.
Since we are pushing the deadline for this issue I will close wishing a MERRY CHRISTMAS and joyous, prosperous NEW YEAR to all our brothers and sisters of our District No. One of the IATSE.
On October 1, 1990 District No One's Death Benefit Fund deposited $100,000.00 with United of Omaha and received a $1500.00 paid up insurance policy for 91 members of District No One 72 years of age or older. This leaves us with 492 members who we will be paying $2.03 per month on. Also as of October 1, 1990 we are collecting per capita on 606 members. All members who are 72 or older will be receiving a paid up $1500.00 insurance policy from United of Omaha after the first of the year.
As stated above this plan is designed to provide paid-up life insurance coverage for those eligible members age 72 or older. As eligible members reach age 72, a paid-up term certificate will be issued and that individual will no longer be a liability to each Local.
The premium generated by the non-paid-up members will be used to cover death claims during the Policy year and cover administrative expenses. Any balance which remains at the end of each policy year would be put into a mortality stabilization reserve. At the end of each policy year a portion of this reserve will be used to purchase paid-up insurance on those individuals who reach age 72. As this reserve develops over time, the possibility of decreasing either the term rate or the age at which paid-up insurance is available will be presented to us. In no event, however, will the paid-up target age be below 65. United of Omaha has agreed to guarantee our rate of $2.03 per month per member for a three year period.
If you have not filled out a new enrollment card for United of Omaha, please do so. If you have not received one from your Local, please ask them for one or write me and I will forward one to you. It is most important that all members have a new enrollment card on file with the District.
If you have any questions about the new Insurance Plan, please feel free to call me at 503-295-2828 or 503-771-7756.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and may 1991 be prosperous for the members of District No. One.
We have 154 cardholders and about 20 apprentices. We also employ 150 permit workers. This gives us over 300 people on our dispatch list. That means a full time job for the Call Steward and our business office.
In 1990 we began a three-year apprentice program with classes, tests and work labs. This year we will work on getting state certification for our program. If you are interested in our program please call our Local #15 office at 206-441-1515.
The Goodwill Games weren't as much work as everybody though, but our part went well. No I.A. films came to town last year. However, a new theatre company started which put a strain on our call list. The Fifth Ave. Musical Theatre in the 5th Avenue Theatre had its first season last year and is now on its second, even more successful, season. We have a facility contract with the 5th Avenue of one year at 9% increase over last year.
Our one year Big Five contract (Opera, Seattle Rep., Ballet, Symphony and A.C.T.) was signed with a 4% increase. The Seattle City Contract is for two years and we got a 4.6% increase and some better language.
With the new convention center we are getting a bit more work in that area. We gave our entrance test and interview twice this year to bring in extra permit workers to help fill our workload.
Local #15 would like to thank John DiSciullo for all the work he has done finding a new insurance company for our Death assessment plan.
I hope everyone in District One has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I found out that it is called a chromatic aberration of the lens. It was suggested that a lens is like a prism. When light goes through, it is broken up into the rainbow spectrum. Blue light is "bent" the most and red light is "bent" the least. For most of the beam this continuum of rainbows overlap to give white light. But when the edge is sharp, some of this rainbow is cut off. One way suggested to diagram this aberration was to show that there was not a single distance where the image of the light w as sharp. Instead, at one nearer distance the blue light is sharp and just farther distant the red light is sharp.
This explanation helps to show at least two things. Why a doughnut reduces this coloration of the edge. As it is how much the light is "bent" or refracted through the lens that spreads the rainbow, if you narrow the lens aperture you reduce the prismatic effect. And why when a filament is not at the focal point of a reflector, then the image is a motley brown and grey. The rainbows are simply not adding up evenly to give white light.
I would like to thank my local for giving me this opportunity and would also like to extend this explanation to an analogy. With the range of objectives on by our local, such objectives as full employment and advancement of the social cultural interests of the membership, it is important not to expect one objective to be met at the expense of another.
The motion picture exhibition business in our area continues to do well. There continues, too, many changes to our industry skills as Projectionists. For the most part we seem to be able to cope.
Our non-union picture is about the same, as we are unable to turn the employer attitude at our one United Artists unit and the several Act III theatres in our jurisdiction.
We have contracts to 1991, 1992 and 1993) with Cineplex Odegon, General Cinema, Landmark Seven Babies and some independents.
Our AudioVisual work continues to increase with various companies that pay competitive wage scales and full fringe benefits.
We continue with our training program to produce top skilled Projectionists. We have trained and accepted a good number of people into our organization this past year.
As time draws to a close to meet the deadline let us express Christmas Greetings this season to all Local Unions and their members of District No. One of the I.A.T.S.E. and let us all look forward to a grand and prosperous year of 1991.
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