IA BUSINESS AGENT CANDIDATE PLATFORM

​EXPAND OUR EMPLOYMENT BASE

• I believe we need to expand our employment base and try to sign more Canadian companies going forward. Currently, we are heavily invested in American and Foreign productions which largely depend on the tax credits. If these credits disappear at some point what will happen to our work base? Film and production companies are fluid and constantly changing. Netflix is now closing on a deal in Monmouth New Jersey to purchase a 1,126-acre decommissioned Army Base which they have plans to turn into the largest production center in the Northeast, with state-of-the-art purpose-built studios. The Governor of New Jersey has pledged millions to help build the facility as well as tax credits with additional funds to hire people from the Jersey and New York areas to work, and money for education and training. How could this impact the streaming companies who currently come here and hire us? In Canada, Randy Lennox, a Canadian writer and producer wrote an op-ed in the Toronto Star calling for a new era in production with a level playing field for Canadian projects getting the same aid as foreign streaming companies even if it means cutting back the tax credits to foreign producers. This is something else that could affect our work base. Looking forward, we need to strength our prospects--- not just for the next few years but into the future to make sure our work is resilient and there for us.

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INCREASE CANADIAN CONTENT

• We used to have contracts to shoot commercials, rock videos, as well as Canadian television and Canadian feature films. Somehow, we’ve lost those job opportunities. I am prepared to go to the Commercial producers as well as Canadian producers of film and television to see if we can regain some of that Canadian content which I believe we need to create a strong Union with continuing employment opportunities for our members.

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A HISTORY OF ADVOCATING 

• I was chair of the Costume Committee for 3 terms. After the first year, I knew the people in my department were not getting the pay they deserved for the unique skills they had. In addition, the department had 2 picks; the producers picked the designer, and the designer picked a design assistant, everyone else was a wardrobe assistant at the lowest pay. To address these issues, I decided to create categories similar to those used in U.S.  Working on my own time, independently with no formal support, I developed categories within the costume department. Later, Patricia Boulden came on to help me get everything organized and make suggestions.  Advocating for this change, I went to producers I knew and asked if these categories would affect their signing with IA on future contracts. Not one of them said it would.  After 3 trips to the Executive Board, it finally came up for a Union vote and it passed. We now have 10 picks and 10 key rates for people in my department, ensuring costume staff get paid for the value of their work and skills they use.

• I also went to Cheryl Batulis of the IA Theatrical Wardrobe local and worked out an arrangement to exchange members between the locals before calling in non union people to do costume work. This arrangement provided employment for the costume department when we were slow and was in place until I left the chair position and Cheryl moved on to the International Office.

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​As Business Agent, I will use this same energy in seeking out job opportunities for the entire Union.