Organizing and Political Activism
SAG-AFTRA rally I was invited to speak at the rally on Tuesday July 18th at the capitol. Additionally speaking at the event were State Rep Della Au Bellati, State Senator Sharon Moriwaki, as well as Vanessa Lachey and the cast of NCIS: Hawaii. Wed, July 19th canceled due to Tropical Storm Calvin. Special shoutout to Brian Gilhooly, Patrick Jeppeson, and Jeremy LeCain for showing up and showing support. Future events will be announced, please come out to these events to support our union ohana and wear an IA shirt. It not only amplifies the message and increases visibility for their plight, it sends a strong message to the employers, legislators, and community members that we stand together. Should a picket line show up in front of a worksite, please do not walk the line unless you’re a member of SAG-AFTRA or WGA. The rally had around 100 attendees, but we can help boost those numbers. For anyone that’s been looking for a way to get involved, show up to the rallies/events in an IA shirt to show solidarity with our entertainment industry union ‘ohana.
NEXT SAG-AFTRA EVENT – Aug. 04, 2023 – 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM HT
Where: Kualoa Regional Park – looking towards Mokoli’i
NEW DATE: Hawaii members will assemble in support of the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical/Streaming Strike at Kualoa Regional Park – meet at the first parking area looking towards Mokoli’i at 10 am. on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. We will take a quick photo together in solidarity! SAG-AFTRA Strong T-Shirts and Signs will be provided (while supplies last).
If you can make this event, please wear an IA 665 shirt and register at https://www.sagaftra.org/hawaii-sag-aftra-tvtheatricalstreaming-strike-support-kualoa-regional-park. Members on the windward side, it’s in your backyard. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to support the cause. Please add to the conversation on social media using #SAGAFTRAstrong and #SAGAFTRAstrike.
HI AFL-CIO EB meeting – WGA member Aaron Kandell presented to the State Fed Executive Board Thursday, July 20th. He, alongside HI SAG-AFTRA director Mericia Palma Elmore and I, got a chance to educate the affiliate unions on the challenges that face entertainment workers and the ways in which they can support us – by donating to the appropriate mutual aid partnerships, showing up to solidarity events, and amplifying the message by sharing stories on social media. For more information, go to https://www.sagaftrastrike.org/ and https://www.wgacontract2023.org/
WDC – Mtg with leadership on Friday 07/21 to discuss a presentation I’ve been tasked with creating for the full council on the positive economic impacts of our industry as well as challenges we’ve been facing. When I walk the capitol during legislative session, it often comes as a shock to folks that we do more than Film and TV. It’s a significant opportunity to educate the various stakeholders in county/state government as well as those in workforce development. Additionally, I’ve been scheduled for state ethics training on September 9th, 2023.
If you are in need of emergency financial assistance, go to the Motion Picture and Television Fund – https://mptf.com/services/
You can also visit the Entertainment Community Fund – entertainmentcommunityfund.org and click on the “Services & Programs” tab
If you’re looking for resources regarding therapy or substance abuse rehabilitation, go to https://wp.behindthescenescharity.org/
Training
As technicians, some of the most stressful times are when we’re waiting with nothing to do. While we await the results of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, let’s use some of this time for honing our crafts through safety and skills training
LinkedIn Learning – Through this subscription, active IATSE members and those working under IATSE agreements will have unlimited access to the LinkedIn Learning online library of high-quality, instructional videos across a wide spectrum of technologies. LinkedIn Learning is designed for all levels of learners with courses taught by recognized industry experts, and it’s available whenever you’re ready to learn. There is no cost to join. Do not delay in applying for LinkedIn Learning. To apply, go to: https://www.iatsetrainingtrust.org/lil,
Download the application and email it to the address listed on the page.
Once you’ve received your log-in for LinkedIn Learning, check out the TTF AV Video series – https://www.iatsetrainingtrust.org/news/2023/3/13/av-video-series
MP/TV Training (Area Standards Agreement) – Everybody deserves to feel safe and secure at work. When IATSE workers know the basics of workplace health and safety, we can help to prevent accidents, injuries, and illnesses on the job. These online trainings include the “A” – General Safety Training, “A2” – Environmental Safety, and “HP1” – Harassment Prevention 1 or “HP2” – Harassment Prevention 2 Safety Pass online courses developed by Contract Services. These courses are only available to those performing work under the IATSE Area Standards Agreement. https://www.iatsetrainingtrust.org/asa
IATSE TTF Safety First! Courses – Learn at your own pace in these vital safety awareness courses https://www.iatsetrainingtrust.org/safetyfirst/
Local 665 – We are actively planning for in-person training opportunities in mid to late August. Stay tuned for announcements.
If you need help accessing the online training programs offered by IATSE TTF or through LinkedIn Learning, which has thousands of courses from soft skills like how to be an effective emerging leader to hard skills like cybersecurity, is available to members at no charge. Or if you have a suggestion for training that could benefit a group of our members, please send an email to president@iatse665.org and I’ll do my best to guide you through it.
Good Jobs Challenge – I was contacted by DBEDT and Revitalize Hawaii regarding an exciting opportunity. This is where the rubber meets the road for the GJC. This initiative could provide funds for upskilling training via IA training and PAYING folks to train as well as organizing public live event venues. My first meeting with them is next Tuesday with another on August 17th. This would mean that members could get paid to take industry specific training during the strikes.
Outreach
Kona Studio trip – I was invited by the developer to tour the studio in development. I flew to Kona on the morning of Friday, July 14th and returned that evening. Additionally attending this tour was Hawaii County Film Commissioner Aulani Freitas. To put it in perspective, Pinewood Studios in London is approx 59,000 sq ft. The footprint of this proposed film studio is 125,000 sq ft. It does need work. It’s a gutted KMart, the ceilings are low. But it has immense potential for training opportunities, controlled exterior VFX sets, and more opportunities to hold training for not only our workers, but for the extended labor community of Hawaii island.
DEI – Joint DEI committee ASA review of proposals Wed 07/19 – Leaders and representatives of ASA Locals reviewed the employer proposal regarding the DEI internship program in the ASA. We compiled our proposals on a shared document and I’m proud to say that many of the adjustments that I recommended were supported by other Local leaders in attendance. Counter-proposal adjustments that I recommended included limiting the amount of hours that an intern could work in a day, providing protections for these workers (as the employer did not want to recognize them as “employees”), assigning an additional crew member to supervise/mentor an intern so as not to impede on a fully staffed crew, and ensuring that career pathways for these interns stay within the realm of control of the Local and not the employer. These interns are folks from underrepresented/historically excluded communities that may be interested in becoming involved in our industries, but don’t know where to start.
Executive Committee meeting & General Committee Meeting Friday, 07/21/2023
The bulk of the committee’s work has been dedicated to the launch of the census since April.
Relaunch of IATSE census – this has been a process of at least 18 years starting in 2005 as departments and committees have been added – Education and Training department was established in 2010 along with the Four Pillars – Leadership, Skills & Safety, Activism, Communication, the 2013 Quadrennial Convention established the Young Workers Committee, Women’s Committee was established in 2015, Pride committee created at the 2017 Quadrennial Convention “Growth Equals Strength”, 2021 convention “Census” resolution 18 passed overwhelmingly. It mandated, by convention action, that the IA count who we are. It was originally tasked to Locals, but they had various issues. It was then tasked to the reconstituted DEI committee.Census info can be used for organizing, negotiations, education, outreach, and more. Knowing the makeup of our members will help us craft pol/leg strategy (i.e. tax incentives for film/tv and/or stagecraft). Cornell ILR worker institute was chosen to conduct the census.
The launch of the census was on July 10th. Several technical glitches were discovered. It has been relaunched and is open for every IA member to take this census. You may only take the census once, even if you have more than one IA card. Retirees are eligible to participate. Those who have been expelled or are not yet members are not eligible. If you experience an issue, fill out your information in the “contact us” tab https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/worker-institute/iatse-census/contact-us
How to take the Census
- Click the link in the email you receive
- QR code
- www.ilr.cornell.edu/worker-institute/iatse-census
- sri.cornell.edu/iatse
- https://iatse.net/2023-member-census/
The 2023 IATSE Member Census is a critical initiative to gain accurate, anonymized, aggregated, and up to date statistics regarding our membership across the United States and Canada – all answers are confidential. The insights gained from the Member Census will be used to empower us to better advocate for our members’ rights and interests, and ensure future actions reflect the union’s membership.The average completion time is 5 min. At present, 10% of members across the Alliance have completed the Please take a few minutes to complete this important survey.
Rough timeline:
September 2023 – census closes
Jan 2024 – census results announced and shared with Locals
Feb 2024 – census results will be shared with individual Locals
Hurricane season began on June 1st and runs through November 30th. Though the last few hurricane seasons have come and gone without much ruckus, I urge you to make preparations for potential inclement weather. Better to have made preparations and not need them, then to need them and not have made them. Emergency provisions include, among other things, 1 gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food, medications, personal sanitation, clothes, and bedding. It may also be prudent to secure non-electrical means of cooking, if you’re able. Attached, you’ll find the Hawaiian Electric Handbook for Emergency Preparedness. It can also be found in multiple languages on their website https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/safety-and-outages/storm-center/emergency-preparedness-handbook. Below are some resources that may prove useful:
NOAA Tsunami Evac Zones: https://tsunami.coast.noaa.gov/
State of Hawai’i HI-EMA: https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/get-ready/
Hawai’i County Civil Defense website: https://hawaii-county-civil-defense-agency-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com/
Maui County Emergency Management Agency: https://www.mauicounty.gov/70/Emergency-Management-Agency
City and County of Honolulu Dept of Emergency Management: https://www.honolulu.gov/dem
Oahu Hurricane Shelters: https://www.hero.radio/map-of-oahu-hurricane-shelters
Kaua’i Emergency Management Agency: https://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Emergency-Management-Agency
In closing, We haven’t had a chance to get to Good and Welfare in the past few meetings, so I’d like to report on it here – I’m sure that you’ve all heard about the tragic killing of Kono Dahlin. He was a wonderful man who was taken from us too soon. We are following the situation closely and will provide updates as we receive them. Information on his celebration of life will also be shared as we receive it.