Unionized Labor: Costuming

From the film crew strike threat that would have shut down Hollywood, to exposés accusing Starbucks and Amazon of undermining worker organization, labor unions have been getting a lot of visibility in the US and Canada lately. Simultaneously, the outcry in the theatre industry for fair wages, pay transparency, and humane working conditions make many non-union backstage workers eager to learn more about organized labor.
What unions might apply to your craft? What does a union do for its members? And what are members expected to do for the union? In this video, I'll give you the answers, as well as some questions to help you decide: Should you join a union or not?
This video is aimed at an audience of early-career North American costume professionals, but the information can be helpful for other technical production specializations, as well as those considering immigrating to the US for entertainment industry employment.
Links:
IATSE - International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada:
www.iatse-intl.org
IATSE directory:
www.iatse-intl.org/member-reso...
HCTWU - Harvard Clerical & Technical Workers Union:
huctw.org/
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:05 What union applies to you?
1:45 IATSE Locals explained
2:59 Institutional unions
3:34 Union benefits
4:40 Community & support
5:25 Fees & dues
6:21 Solidarity & strikes
6:59 The 2004 Local One strike
7:17 To join or not
8:59 Milwaukee Rep/IATSE lawsuit
9:32 Conclusion
Disclosure: This is not a paid promotion and I am not currently a member of any union. As a crafts artisan at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA, I was a member of the Harvard Clerical and Technical Workers Union from 2000-2004.
#iatse #costuming #union

[@darahauspage]

Could add, commercial shops in NC, as of 2021 we have a labor pool for health care, etc shops can join. It's $100-200/year through the Carolina Textile District. Pretty reasonable. Something healthy on the fashion side of the business freelance costumers/technicans/drapers might want to take advantage of or at least be aware of.

[@LaBricoleuse]

That’s fantastic! Do you have a link where people can find out more?

[@historical.isolde7918]

"He was more than a hero, he was a Union Man" - Miles O'Brian, Star Trek: Deep Space 9.
I was so glad to see this video. I also liked how you were not pushing membership one way or another, just presenting the facts.
It is a bit strange for me as an Australian hearing about union and non-union productions/workplaces. In Australia, it doesn't matter what organisation or business you work for, your relevant union will represent you as needed. Likewise, your membership to a union has no implication on your employment, so your employer is under no obligation to prioritise union members. All employers are simply employers, and employees can choose to join the union or not.

[@LaBricoleuse]

That sounds like a great system! It’s needlessly complicated here.