New Standards
 Not Concessions

          For years studio technicians have enjoyed very lucrative
         wages as the major studios shot motion picture and
         television production product. There are often complaints
         that the IATSE is lowering the wage rates of agreements
         such as the Basic Agreement. When you look closer, you
         will realize that the IATSE has been expanding the traditional
         jurisdiction by organizing work that has been
         nonunion for years. Low Budget Features, Basic Cable
         Programs, Television Commercials and Music Videos
         were shot non-union. The majority of these projects are
         now under contract. Sometimes these newer agreement
         wages may be less than Basic Agreement wages. However,
         consider the fact that in ALL cases these new agreements 
         cost the employers money. They had to he
         pressured and leveraged to even discuss a deal with us.
         Essentially we have set NEW standards by IMPROVING
         conditions from their prior non-union state. Yes, an
         improvement, not a reduction.
           The fact is that there are a lot of unions that watched
         their market share of organized work in their traditional
         jurisdiction shrink because a one-size-fits-all approach
         failed. We must never let that happen.
           We stress that you do not have to work these less
         lucrative jobs if you do not care to. If one chooses to,
         he or she can still only work on the shows with the “full
         boat” standard agreement. However, it is unfair and
         unwise to deny gainful employment to other members
         by insisting artificial standards apply. If we do, producers
         will find another route, be it non-union or perhaps
         another union. New competition for your work will be
         hatched and trained and we will have little to say about
         standards then.

reprinted from IATSE Bulletin 2nd quarter 2005  number 608