At 2:40 p.m., July 18, 1998, the afternoon sesson of the 51st Convention of District One, IATSE, commenced and the following proceedings were held.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: We're going to go back on the record and reconvene for our afternoon session. At this time, I'm going to ask the locals to give us their State of the Trade report, and this time we'll start with, I believe, Local No. 15. Go ahead, Sean, whenever you're ready.

         DELEGATE CALLAHAN, LOCAL 15: Current Active membership is 247, which is up 71 members from 1995. Our Apprentice and First Card membership has increased significantly since 1995 due to organizing efforts in the jurisdiction. We received state certification for a two-year apprentice program in January of this year, and the formation of a training trust is a task that remains to be completed.

         We're working through the logistics of the transition to the new program, and hope to have apprentices enrolled in the new program next year. We have an active membership participation in outreach, organizing, and we're working to rebuild our continuing education program.

         The outreach program supports community fundraising events and fringe theater events, and has helped to improve our relationship with the local theatrical community as well as the community at large.

         Over the last three years, negotiations have proved difficult with some of our employers, with mostly small gains and some concessions with the 5th Avenue Musical Theater Company and the City of Seattle. In both instances, the presence of a state labor contractor in the jurisdiction provided management with a viable replacement work force, as well as greater downward pressure on our wages and working conditions.

         Our isolation from the Seattle labor community also prevented us from calling on our Brothers and Sisters for assistance. One bright spot in all that is that we were able to establish a qualified pension plan with many of our employers in 1996.

         Currently, we're participating to a greater extent in the labor community. I am the Amusement Trade section representative with the King County Labor Council, and Local 15 is a core member of Seattle Union Now!, the labor council's Union City's organizing project.

         Current negotiations include five new or created bargaining units: Exhibit Technicians with the City of Seattle, two wall to wall units at the Intiman and Seattle Children's Theater, which were organized under the auspices of the International, a wall to wall unit at A Contemporary Theatre, organized jointly by Locals 15, 488, and Theatrical Wardrobe Union 887, and the painters and property artisans at Seattle Repertory Theater, which are organized jointly between Locals 15 and 488.

         Other negotiations on existing agreements are ongoing, and we anticipate better results due to the organization of potential replacement workers. We also recently reached a tentative agreement with Seattle Landmark Association for work at the Moore Theater, which removed another unorganized employee pool from downtown Seattle.

         Future negotiations look good. The 5th Avenue Musical Theater and our major non-profit arts organizations have embarked on a path to an interest-based relationship, which we hope will lead to a more productive process for negotiations.

         The increase in represented workers also bodes well for bargaining strength. We have a Defense Fund in place now as well, which was formed last year helping us present a credible strike threat.

         Much of the credit, and many thanks are due to International Representative Sandra England, without her assistance, we wouldn't be in the shape we're in.

         Local 15 and 154 are pursuing merger discussions with a target date of December 31, 1998. Initial talks have resulted in the surfacing of several issues, which will have to be resolved in the next few months.

         The logistics of the jurisdiction remain problematic. While we're beginning to get the immediate Seattle area under control, there's much work to be done in the outlying areas. Our lack of resources to police the entire jurisdiction allows the labor contractor access to many venues. They also draw employees from a wide area in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. While we have had some success in recapturing a venue or two, and have the support of the county government, I believe that this problem requires district support in order to succeed.

         We allow Stage Crew Services to operate in the district at own peril. I suggest that we make and keep a district-wide commitment to organize or remove this employer from our jurisdictions.

         We are currently running organizing campaigns with freelance Audio Visual Technicians and with Stage Crew Services. We have dispatch agreements with a handful of audio visual companies, but have been competing with the freelancers for work. We're seeking to establish bargaining units with the four major employers in the area. Progress in both of these drives has been slow and difficult.

         Business activity is good within the jurisdiction, although the funding prospects of our non-profit employers are bleak to grim. It remains relative easy to raise funds for capital improvements, but operational funding is flat. Venue construction has increased, with a new symphony hall downtown, the Experience Music Progress and a new theater in Kirkland. I expect continued growth in venue construction as long as the current economic conditions continue.

         Respectfully submitted, Sean Callahan.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thank you, Sean. We'll take that as the report of progress from that local, and ask Local 28 to give us their State of the Trade report.

         DELEGATE BURBACH, LOCAL 28: Since Local 28 has been in attendance at the last convention of 1990, we have experienced a booming entertainment environment. Our local has grown in membership and keeping the calls filled has been at times challenging.

         Some of the entertainment we have seen in the last three years has been runs of Phantom, Beauty and the Beast, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Carousel, Rolling Stones, Stomp, Camelot, and Smithsonian. The list goes on and on.

         During 1997, we successfully negotiated several contracts. The City of Portland intended not to negotiate and went as far as creating a termination agreement. The city's unfounded reasoning was to our advantage. With tremendous effort of our negotiating committee, and the trust of our membership, we signed a three-year contract with department heads of the city. The contract, mostly used for the department heads, contains rates for all categories from Rigger to New Hire. We then went on to sign a contract with the primary theatrical and musical producers in the Portland Metropolitan area: Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland Opera Presents, Oregon Children's Theatre, and the Oregon Symphony Orchestra.

         A classification for special operators was agreed upon: This category has additional light and soundboard operators, followspots, pyrotechnic, scenic projector, automation and forklift operators. Because of the separately negotiated department head contract with the City of Portland, it was necessary to negotiate a new contract of crew coordinator.

         Recording rates now apply to the entire load in, show and out rather than the show alone. Health and welfare and hourly rates were raised as well.

         Less stressful to negotiate was the Oregon Arena contract. This contract gives us jurisdiction of the Rose Garden, home of the Trailblazers, and the Memorial Coliseum, former home of the Trailblazers, and now home to circuses, rock shows, and conventions such as Amway.

         Education continues to be a challenge. With the amount of work in Portland, it is difficult to schedule related training classes. We strive for two classes a month. During the summer, we offer an accelerated week. Typically these classes are eight hours a day for five to seven days.

         Most of our training is still on the job with Journeyman teaching. The state of Oregon chooses to have a Joint Apprenticeship Program where employers and employees participate in the education of our stagehands. Most states are not joint.

         The local, along with our employers, track on-the-job hours and related training hours for advancement in our apprenticeship program. We are required to have limited electrical licenses. Two members of the local teach electrical theory and code classes to any apprentice who is sponsored by a training agent.

         On a more personal note, there has been a shift in the office of the Recording Secretary. Brother Jim Robinson resigned from this position after more than a decade of service to run for the vacated office of Financial Secretary Treasurer. Local 28 is privileged to have such respect and attention given as Brother Robinson does.

         Last, I would like to comment on the World Wide Web and e-mail, and computers in general. We have created a web page which has a domain name. Further, we have inputted our bookkeeping into databases. We also have a database for apprentices, which tracks their progress and re-rates them. The process of inputting was tedious, but we now reap the rewards of such diligence.

         Respectfully submitted, Susan Traynor, President.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thanks, Jim, and we'll also take that as a Report of Progress from this local.

         DELEGATE BURBACH, LOCAL 28: I've got one more thing to say, and I'm hoping you can help us out. I'd like to hear you name some B-20.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: I plan on giving a complete report for them.

         DELEGATE BURBACH, LOCAL 28: Thank you.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Sure. At this time we'll hear from Local 93 in Spokane, Washington.

         DELEGATE FRENGLE, LOCAL 93: The mainstay of Local 93's work has been our presence in city owned buildings. First, the Spokane Coliseum built in 1954, and then the Spokane Opera House which opened in 1974 for the World's Fair.

         Our relationship with the city has always been secured by only a handshake, and in time a history of a job well done. But in 1995, the old Coliseum (the Boone Street Barn) came down, and in its place the Veterans Memorial Arena was built, and with it has come, what we hope, is a new era of cooperation and security stemming from our first written agreement with management.

         When the doors opened in September of '95, thanks to IA Representative Sandra England and our negotiating team, we had a one-year contract which has been followed by a three-year contract ending in August of '99. Although this has been a giant step in the right direction, we have recently realized that there has been a false sense of security. What we had thought to be a binding collective bargaining agreement protected by the Public Employees Relations Commission is, in fact, only a vendor contract. The same as non-union vendor contracts with concessions and catering.

         When we negotiated our first contract, we had to take substantial cuts in salary, overtime and conditions in order to keep pace with Stage Crew Services, which was actively trying to move themselves in. We fully expect to be fighting this same battle when our negotiations begin in the spring of '99.

         There are only two other professional venues in town, the Interplayers Ensemble and the Met, both of which have staunchly non-union management. We have made inroads by having technical staff from both on our Extra Board list, and have also been successful in salting their crews with No. 93 members.

         I have been talking with Silhouette, a lighting and staging company which works small halls, county fairs and mall openings around the country. I am close to getting cards signed by employees and am hopeful for an agreement in the not too distant future.

         We have also provided carpenters for Admit One which specializes in display sets used in trade shows. They have also built sets used in Convention Productions at the Arena and Ag Trade Center. Up until now, we have provided labor through our Extra Board on our rate card, but they have showed interest in negotiating a contract with us.

         In '95, our membership was 53. This dropped to 48 in '97, but are now at 51 again as of the second quarter of '98. We are proud to have members out on the road as head carpenter and head electrician with Cats. Long time member, Bob Devereaux, who was the Stage Carpenter and Manager for the Opera House, retired last year, and is reported to be living the good life either pulling his Airstream to places he's never seen or by spending three days a week on the golf course.

         It is our collective commitment to continue our high quality of work through continued training with the emphasis on safety, and to work with our Labor Council and the Washington State AFL-CIO to regain a democratic state and federal congress that puts the health and welfare of working families before the corporate bottom line. Respectfully submitted.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Okay. I'll take that as the report of the progress, also, and it should be noted that you guys would rather have Bob Devereaux on the golf course than in the Opera House.

         DELEGATE FRENGLE, LOCAL 93: Absolutely. (Laughter)          CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: All right. Next should be a report of Local 154, Seattle, Washington.

         DELEGATE WHITISH, LOCAL 154: Local 154's jurisdiction now extends from the Canadian border to the Oregon border, from the Pacific Ocean to the Cascade Mountains. We currently have 67 members down from 94 in the 1995 report. 12 of these members are currently retired.

         Our wages run from a low of $10.75 per hour to a high of $17.00 her hour. We have a Health and Welfare Trust Fund, which all employers, except Act III, contributes $6.75 per shift to. All employers, except Act III, also contribute to IATSE National Pension Plan B. We currently have 36 full-time jobs.

         Our three major employers are Landmark Theatres, Loews Cineplex Entertainment, and General Cinemas. This year we renegotiated three contracts with General Cinemas and added a new downtown Seattle theater that is currently under construction. We kept the General Cinemas jobs as projectionist's jobs with one full-time person per unit.

         We also, with the help of the late Walter Blanchard, renegotiated our maintenance contract with Act III for Longview/Kelso and Bellingham. We got a good raise with this contract.

         Our ongoing struggle with Loews Cineplex in Tacoma ended in a maintenance contract for one full-time and one part-time job. We previously had five members working full-time for Loews Cineplex in Tacoma. The affected members received severance packages.

         We also negotiated a new contract for Loews Cineplex in the Seattle area. Our new job description with this contract is Projection Maintenance Engineer. We are now in all of the Loews Cineplex Theatres in the King/Snohomish area. This includes three theatres that opened non-union.

         We went from eight full-time jobs to five full-time jobs with this contract. Our new jobs have members doing maintenance at multiple locations. Members that were displaced received severance packages.

         Our contract with Landmark Theatres continues to provide for projectionist/manager jobs, and two projectionist-only jobs. This contract runs through the year 2000. We now have four full-time jobs at Rockwell-Collins (formerly Avicom), by virtue of an IA contract. There is a very good possibility of more jobs in the near future with Rockwell-Collins.

         We are gearing up to get our training going stronger as there are a lot of one time and short time jobs to cover and a lack of trained people to cover them. We are in discussions with Local 15 regarding a merger. We see this as feasible and preferable to meet the challenges we face of reduced labor pool and rising expenses.

         In summary, the state of the trade for Local 154 is slow, steady decline. We hope to stop this decline by concentrating on getting Act III under contract in the Seattle area, staying technically proficient and continuing to provide quality work for living wages.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thank you, Brian. He's saying that they are in a slow, steady decline, but I want to tell you that this local has faced a lot of opposition from employers, and has really stayed the course.

         And as much as you guys feel like you're beating against a wall that never moves, let me say that our Local 154 is in better shape than a lot or most of projection locals across the country, and you guys are to be commended, Frank and Brian, for the work that you have done, and the quality of representation that you guys give your members.

         Next, we're going to hear from 240, Billings, Montana.

         DELEGATE MINEAR, LOCAL 240: Well, I do not have a formal State of the Trade report to give but we do have 24 members. We have two main venues that we work. We just received raises and renegotiated a contract. At both, we do quite a number of country shows, rock concerts, symphonies, operas, ballets.

         We've just gotten people on, in the last year, on two different movies, part with the help of Bruce on one in particular, and we've got money in the bank and we're going onward and upward.

         Things are looking better. We have had some reconstruction of one of the venues to where it's a little more easily accessible for our spotlight operators to proficiently spotlight performances in the one. And we have had some exciting times with a number of concerts coming back into one of the Billings venues after a slump of basically about a year where there was hardly any work where we used to get the vast majority of it. That's about it. Thank you.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thank you. At this point we'll hear from 339, Missoula, Montana.

         DELEGATE BULL, LOCAL 339: 339's jurisdiction in the stage area covers roughly half the state of Montana. The state of Montana is the fourth largest state in the union, and there are less than a million people there. So we cover a lot of territory without too many people.

         About three years ago, there were four locals in our half of the state, and they have all gone by the wayside until now there's just 339. We also have the movie jurisdiction which roughly follows our stage jurisdiction with the exception of the northeastern corner of Montana.          We have one venue in Great Falls, which is up for a contract. We have an additional venue, which is an arena, which has never been under contract.

         Our membership has gone from the low 20s, approximately five years ago, to 39 this year. We are basically a part-time union. We have no full-time positions. We're working to rebuild basically our whole jurisdiction. There's three or four venues scattered throughout our jurisdiction that were at one time organized and are no longer organized.

         And we're slowly working on chipping away at those trying to work on getting some of those back. We've got a lot of ideas for an apprenticeship and a training program. We're just short on people to get that in place.

         Right at this point in time, we're in the process of creating a film unit based out of Boseman, where there is an active film school. And also one good thing that came out of the last legislature, there was a concerted effort by Right to Work, and that was how we defeated, so we're still a closed shop state. That's kind of the state of the trade in our jurisdiction.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thanks, Bruce. At this time we'll hear from 488.

         DELEGATE RIGGS, LOCAL 488: In the three years since the last convention, Local 488's membership rolls have dropped from a high of 490 members in 1995 to approximately 425 active members today. This decrease stems mainly from the cyclical nature of work in the motion picture industry.

         The membership base looks to increase over the next several years as the local increases its organizing efforts among the freelancers in both the television commercial market and the theatrical scenic painters.

         The local has had good success in obtaining contracts on a wide variety of projects including interactive CD-Roms, television series, feature films, low budget independent features, and probably, most importantly, television Movies of the Week.

         The Local and the cost of a union contract was incorrectly seen as the main reason MOW's chose not to shoot in the Pacific Northwest for several years starting around 1994. Through the hard work of Portland Business Charlie Carlsen and International Representative Sandra England, the local was able to sign a groundbreaking contract with Hearst Entertainment and bring MOW's back to the Northwest.

         We have now had five projects using that contract in the jurisdiction with two more currently in pre-production. We believe these projects will continue to provide a broad base of employment for our members.

         Local 488's work to strengthen ties with sister locals throughout the region has resulted in an increased employment opportunities for our members. We enjoy strong ties with Local 15 in Seattle and Local 20 in Portland, and have had our members work on contracts with Local 16 at San Francisco and Local 99 in Salt Lake.

         Seattle Business Agent Joel Youngerman, working with Locals 15 and 887 and International Representative Sandra England has secured contracts for scenic painters at the Seattle Opera and are currently in negotiations at four other Seattle theaters.

         In another example of working closely with a sister local, the reciprocal agreement Local 488 enjoys with Local 891 in Vancouver, B.C. has allowed our members the ability to work in Canada.

         In a reversal of past practice, the local now has a good working relationship with the State Film Office in both Oregon and Washington. We've worked to be viewed as a full partner in marketing both states with film offices and organizations such as the WMPC and OMPA. We've been visible in lobbying efforts in support of our industry in Olympia and Salem and plan to increase our visibility at the state level.

         Internally, we've made changes that will strengthen the local. Officers are now elected for three-year terms with the two business agents and the president automatically going to the International Convention as delegates.

         We've started the Colin Kell Scholarship Fund for the dependents of members and our Charities Committee is fully funded and active.

         The cyclical nature of production required the local to review expenses and unfortunately raise work dues. These moves and the good stewardship of Financial Secretary-Treasurer John DiSciullo has insured the financial health of the local.

         Challenges the local still face include the cost of having two full-time offices and those inherent in having a jurisdiction that spans four states. Other areas of concern with member education, involvement and training.

         The Local also plans to increase its efforts in organizing Northwest based film and digital production companies. We must also increase our political lobbying efforts and find more ways to be involved with our members and our community.

         From its date of charter only five years ago, Local 488 has made great strides in establishing itself as an active and viable union. At this time, the state of the local is good, and the local is well positioned to face the challenges of the next decade.

         Respectfully submitted, Robert M. Riggs, President.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thanks, Bobby. Now we hear from Local 675, Eugene, Oregon.

         DELEGATE GEORGE, LOCAL 675: As of July 1st, 1998, IATSE Local 675 is working without a contract with the city of Eugene. Contract talks have slowed and negotiations continue over wages, benefits and working conditions. At this time, I am optimistic that we will emerge with a good contract.

         In May of 1997, we held a media campaign and an informational picket at the University of Oregon's Autzen Stadium. The band U-2 was performing, and the promoter, John Morrison, elected to use non-union stagehands, primarily from out of state. The picket was well received by the citizens as well as the University of Oregon, resulting in many unsold tickets. This picket opened the doors to begin talks with the University in regards to using IA representative employees whenever Autzen Stadium, as well as MacAurthur Court is rented to outside promoters.

         We now have a Letter of Understanding with the University. Although they are unwilling to demand that outside promoters use IA representative employees, they have signed an agreement stating that they will strongly recommend that IATSE Local 675 be used for stagehands every time they sign a rental agreement.

         There are only a handful of events scheduled for Cuthbert Amphitheater this summer. The City of Eugene has decided to turn over "The Eugene Celebration" to the Downtown Business Association. We have covered all stage-related work at this event for the last 15 years. We are meeting with the new management and everything indicates that we will sign an agreement to continue working the three-day event.

         We are receiving more requests for labor to cover events in eastern as well as southern Oregon. Because of the size of our jurisdiction, it is difficult to send stagehands to cover some of these calls.

         We are discussing the possibilities of creating a pool of IATSE-represented stagehands that live in these areas. We've also received a few calls from casinos for stagehands. We feel a strong need to organize this growing industry in Oregon.

         Informal talks have begun between 675 and the Eugene Ballet Company. Many of our stagehands tour with the ballet primarily in the northwest. In each case, we sign an agreement to cover wages. We are seeking an agreement to cover working conditions and benefits as well.

         Lastly, I must sadly report the death of Brother Marv Ramsey. Brother Ramsey was key in signing our initial contract with the city of Eugene in 1982, and reorganizing Local 675 to meet the demands of that contract. He was a great union man, organizer and brother. He will sadly be missed.

         Respectfully submitted in solidarity, Rick George.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thanks, Rick. We'll hear from Local 793, State of Washington.

         DELEGATE KOLANO, LOCAL 793: We're right now in negotiations with NMT which is National Mobile Television. We have had eight meetings with them, the last two have been the best of the eight. NMT now is the largest broadcast mobile unit in the world. They just purchased the number three company in the United States. Now they have 40 some trucks that can broadcast remotes around the country and the globe. They are shipping a truck off to Brazil at this point to do a year stint down there on soccer.

         We have right now, what did we say, 17 members and growing each week, getting the interest of the freelancers to join. That's basically what we're trying to do is get them to join at this point, and get interested in the local so that when the contract is signed, that we have a good crew out there.

         Let's see, we have a good crew over in Spokane that's interested in joining those that do a lot of freelancing in Spokane and Pullman. I think that's about it.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: I'll add just a little bit to that, that these guys are not the biggest market across the country but what started in Seattle with a group of guys coming to me has really spread to a national movement.

         So we may have 17 folks that have joined 793, but as these guys travel around the country and talk to other broadcast technicians, this has really spread to a national movement for freelance technicians, and I really take my hat off to the people in the local, and especially Gary who has done the lion's share of bringing these guys together across the country.

         And we're going to see great, great expansion in this area and for the IATSE and the freelance broadcast industry.

         DELEGATE KOLANO, LOCAL 793: Sandra, just let me add one other thing is that when we picked the IA, we picked it because of Sandra England. And when we walked, when three of us walked into her office after meeting with another union, we were very impressed that she knew who we were, what we did, and she took time out as an International Rep to sit down with us and discuss our problems, our situation, and whatever else that we had for IATSE to help us out.

         And after a whole month of searching with the other two broadcast-type unions, we took it to our members and discussed it was either going to be an association or having IA take us over. And we stressed that IA was the best thing for all of us, and you know, I have been working close with Sandra for the past year, I think it's been. And I can't say any more about Sandra than what she's done for us, and what IA has done for us so far.

         And, you know, I'm proud to be an IA member at this point because of how close she's working with us, and President Short working with us, too. So I appreciate it.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thanks, Gary, and as my mentor, Al DiTolla used to say, "that's what they pay me for," but thanks a lot. We're going to hear now from 887, Seattle, Washington.

         DELEGATE HYDER, LOCAL 887: In the past one-year period, our membership has grown from 27 to 47. We had a huge spurt in one year after kind of sleeping for a while. We have four applicants right now on the docket to be voted on next month. So we're real happy about our growth.

         We have new contracts with the Paramount Theatre where we work under an unsigned document forever, and the new contract at Moore Theatre where we're replacing or planning on having a signed document.

         We're joining with Local 15 in a contract with the Mount Baker Theater in Bellingham. We've been a participant, along with Local 15 and 488 in organizing efforts for Intiman Playhouse and with Sandra; Intiman Playhouse, Seattle Children's Theater and just beginning with the ACT Theatre in Seattle.

         And our opera shop people have almost -- it was almost internal combustion. They burst forth and began organizing with Sandra's leadership and attention. At the same time, we're really happy that we feel we've maintained a good relationship with those employers.

         We, too, have lost work on at least two occasions to the alternative work force that's threatening us all. So we're eager to help and be a participant in dealing with that threat. We have, for the first time ever, health benefits in most of our contracts. We've never had that before. And it's in almost every one of them now, so that people can piece together that benefit even if they work in different places.

         Because of significantly increased participation from our membership, and the invaluable support and leadership from Sandra, we've made these strides this year. Our ongoing concern is to continue to strive for parity wages with other stage craft employees.

         We're aware that wardrobe attendants across the country, who are a part of a mixed local, already have that. And while we're real proud of the reputation that TW 887 seems to carry across the country, we really want to see the wages match that. We can't take that pride to the bank. That's it.

         Respectfully submitted, Benita Hyder, Local 887.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: And I've got to say, this local here is one of the locals I'm most proud of right now. When you talk about going from 27 to 47 members, taking on some of the fights that they have had to take on in terms of the fact that this group of people have come together to not only say they are going to organize, but we're no longer going to just be paid less because we're women.

         And they have taken this fight to their employers, and they haven't backed down and they've gotten real, real gains for their members in their contracts, and it really shows. And they have come together and really duked it out with some of their employers, and I have been involved in some of that. And I'm just really proud of them for all the work that they've done over there at 887.

         DELEGATE HYDER, LOCAL 887: Thank you, Sandra.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Now, we're going to hear from 918, Anchorage, Alaska.

         DELEGATE EASLEY, LOCAL 918: IATSE Local 918 has been alive and well in Alaska since 1983. We are a small stagehands local with a membership of 27 people.

         Theater in Alaska is still a part-time job for many of us in the industry. When the snowmelts and the days get longer, everyone goes fishing, and you can't pay people to sit in the theater. So, to survive, many of our members have to have other incomes.

         This last season was very hard on our membership. One of our major employers had to cut back their season by a third. Many of our members had to turn down what work we had to offer and look elsewhere for full-time employment to survive.

         On the bright side, the upcoming season, which opens with Cats, look to be a season of nonstop work, and this should bring our membership back to its former healthy self.

         Local 918 has four major contracts. Just this last year, we were at the table to sign an agreement with the Anchorage Opera. Our organizational and technical skills and an adherence to safety protocols were primary selling points.

         We are currently in renegotiations with the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. This has historically been a difficult group to negotiate with as they are represented by a very pro-employer law firm. We are hopeful that we will come away from the bargaining table with a fair contract that meets our basic concerns regarding safety, minimum crew size, and competitive wages. And as a side bar, we're in our seventh month of negotiation, which is still ahead of our track record of the last time, three years.

         We have had no success in organizing the local rock and roll venues. They are run by Ogden who has contracted an out-of-state production company, ProShow USA, to provide equipment and labor. Both of these companies are rabidly anti-union. Currently, the film Limbo is being shot in Juneau. Our business agent made several attempts to get our members on the shoot. She offered our labor, or a percentage of our labor, to work alongside their crews. Her efforts were ignored and Limbo is providing much of its technical labor from outside the state of Alaska.

         Local 918 is looking forward to the upcoming challenge of a hectic season. We will be expanding our membership and extra base to meet the increased labor demands. We will continue to strive to break down the barriers that are preventing us from getting work in the rock and roll arenas, and we will continue to preserve the ever increasing amount of film work coming to our state.

         Respectfully submitted, Kathryn Easley.

         CHAIRPERSON ENGLAND: Thank you, Kathryn. Now, I'm going to give a report on our Local B-20 in Portland, Oregon.

         This is another local that I'm really, really proud of. They had one member of this local that sued them into bankruptcy; one member who successfully sued them and sued them and sued them, never won a dime from the local.

         Every time they took him to court, he would add somebody else that he was suing along with the local, but the local had to defend itself.

         This guy never prevailed in one of his cases. But just the local having to defend itself put the local almost basically into bankruptcy. Over the last year, we put it back on its financial footing by getting a loan from the International to get them back to their current good standing.

         But just about the time we got them back on firm footing financially, the employer sent us a notice that within days, they were going to subcontract 90 percent of the unit's work out and basically destroy the local union.

         There were some pretty dark hours in this, but we had met with the employer over the year before they wanted to subcontract, and we changed work rules to accommodate the employer, changed many different conditions to accommodate the employer to try to come up with a staffing agreement that worked. And still the employer decided they were going to subcontract this work.

         I'll tell you, I just took it personally. Sometimes you can't help that but to take it personally. And in the midst of that, the person who really, really was the backbone of this local and had held this local together over the years, Dick Vinton, who had been just sort of the moral center of that local, died at work at his usher station.

         So the local really was at a place where it was like this unbelievable period in its history, Dick Vinton, who was the moral center of the local, dies at work. The employer decides to subcontract their work. They've got no money in the bank. And any other organization of low wage workers would have said "That's it, we're over."

         And instead, it brought these people together in a way that was one of the most inspiring situations I have ever had in my life. We chose to fight, and with Local 28 right behind us, and I've got to say, the stagehands turned out for us. Local 28 turned out for us, let the employer know that this was a fight not with a "B" local, but this was a fight with the IATSE, and that we were going to be there and we were going to stand shoulder to shoulder.

         And when we turned around, we had the Labor Council beside us, and when we turned around, we had the big city union AFSCME behind us. And we went to the MERC Commission, and they were dopey enough to have this hearing in a room no bigger than this one.

         And all of a sudden, this room was so full of people that no one could breathe, and the MER Commission was terrified because these people had never been confronted with a roomful of angry people who didn't agree with them.

         And they had to take testimony, public testimony, and we had person after person after person to come up and testify that this was absolutely wrong, and one of the most precious moments, that I'll never forget as long as I live, I was sitting in the front of the room and I turned around behind me, over my shoulder, because I heard some commotion, and everybody behind me, the B Local had passed out these little yellow eight and a half by 11 signs on yellow paper that said "You can't care me, I'm sticking with the union."

         I didn't know whether to cry or laugh, but you had all of these people lined up all over the room with these little teenie yellow signs, "You can't scare me, I'm sticking with the union." The MERC commission was freaked. They instructed the PCPA Services to sit back down with the local union and see if they couldn't come up with a deal.

         So we went back into negotiations to try to avert the subcontracting. And their labor relation's representative looked at me across the table and said "I've been instructed to sit here until we leave with a deal." And I said to him, "I need a caucus with my folks for a second."

         We walked out of the room. I looked at my group of folks, and they said "What does that mean?" I said, "It means they are F'd." We laughed, walked back in the room. We got a dollar an hour immediately. We got a dollar an hour in six months. We got another dollar an hour in another six months. We got eleven new holidays.

         By the end of it, we had picked their pockets clean because there had to be a price for that kind of behavior. And we took every dime that they had in their pockets by the time we walked away from that about 2:30 in the morning, because we made them sit there. And we made them sit there.

         And they have new leadership over there, Christine Bochman, who is their new president and business agent. And she's really picked up the slack. She's got good energy, the MERC PCPA has paid for training of the PCPA management and the B local on how to get along.

         They spent approximately $1,300 just recently to try to mend that relationship because I let them know that we didn't trust them, we probably wouldn't, and that there was no good will amongst those parties. So they have spent all this money trying to get us to all play fair and nice now.

         So the B local is one of those things where they -- the caveat to this story is I talked to Mr. DiSciullo the next day, and he said "I heard that you got 'em good." And I said yeah, and he said "There's one thing I'm mad about." And I said, "Well, what's that, Johnny?" And he says, "The stagehands only have ten holidays." (Laughter)

         So the B Local ended up with one more holiday than the stagehands, but we know what their position in negotiations are going to be the next time. So the B locals on their way back and their treasury is inching forward in pennies. And I want to thank every one of the locals in this room who donated to our B local in that time. Because we literally were trying to figure out how to print up those little yellow signs.

         We were literally trying to figure out how to come up with enough money to just stay afloat, and that's even with the International giving them a loan big enough to keep them current in their dues.

         But they are doing a good job, and I expect -- our B local just recently has been able to organize the elevator operators at PCPA, and we're going to go after the doormen next. And then we're going to go after the folks over at the Rose Garden.

         So it's really a story of being with your back against the wall and just really figuring that there's nothing going your way, nothing going your way, and a lot of people would have given up. And instead, they came together and they made a differences in each other's lives. And that's really what it was all about.

         So that's the story with the B local, but I have to say once again that it was also a matter of our locals in Portland coming together and supporting each other. And we really couldn't have done it without the support of Local. And we owe them a great deal of thanks.

         So that really ends up being the State of the Trade in our district. And I really want to say that I think our district is moving forward. If we all stick together, we're going to do better, and that's why we're going to now take nominations for our Advisory Council, one person from every state, and our Legislative Council, one person from every state.

         Then what I'm going to do is form the Organizing Committee, and the Montana Committee on Studio Mechanics, I am not going to adjourn those committees. Those committees are going to be formed, and these committees are going to remain active and engaged in between conventions.

         So whereas the first meeting of those are going to happen today, I'm not going to come back and adjourn those committees. I want these committees to remain engaged in between conventions, and be an active part, and answerable to the Advisory Boards that we're going to elect.

         So if we need to have meetings of these organizing committees in between conventions, we need to petition our Advisory Board for funds in order to meet in person, or if we need to have teleconferences or whatever needs to happen. But these two committees that we're going to set up for organizing purposes I want to remain engaged in between conventions.