Business Manager’s Message – July 2023

Labor Updates on IBEW 11 and SAG-AFTRA Negotiations

Brothers & Sisters,

Last month, I wrote about labor solidarity and encouraged you all to stay informed and engaged. Today, I want to share an update regarding one of our sister Local’s, IBEW Local 11.

Local 11 has been able to secure some concessions during its negotiations but has struggled to find common ground on wages with the NECA chapter. Last week, the membership rejected the current offer from NECA with a 91% “No” vote. They have continued to meet with LA NECA this week and even brought in support from the International Office.

We are monitoring the situation closely because this will impact on our upcoming negotiations and because many of our members work for the same employers. If they are unable to come to terms on a deal, we may see Local 11 on strike, which their membership authorized in a recent strike vote.

We fully support our Local 11 brothers and sisters and will stay in close contact with them throughout their negotiations. With Local 11’s negotiations taking longer, it may delay our ability to schedule bargaining with LA NECA regarding our Inside Construction Agreement.

If Local 11 does go on strike, it does NOT mean we will be on strike. Local 40’s contracts are still in effect, and we must continue to honor our contracts and go to work.

Although our Inside Agreement shares many of the same contractors, we have separate jurisdictions with our own collective bargaining agreement. We must continue to honor that agreement and continue to show our NECA contractors the benefits of using hard-working and skilled Local 40 members.

If you happen to be working in Local 11’s jurisdiction, please reach out to our office to discuss the project you are working on.

As soon as we are notified of any action Local 11 may take, and once we have dates scheduled for bargaining, we will send you updates. Regardless, we are scheduling a special meeting at the Union Hall on Thursday, July 20 at 4 pm to go over our upcoming negotiations with NECA.

AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA

We are also monitoring the negotiations between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA. Roughly 80% of production has stopped, and if the actors do end up on strike, productions will completely shut down. The last time both the writers and actors were on strike at the same time was 63 years ago in 1960.

We support both the actors and the writers in their fight for a fair contract. Every worker deserves to be compensated fairly and recognized for the value they bring.

This fight is not about actors against the studios, but rather about workers across all crafts and departments in the industry standing together to prevent mega-corporations from eroding the conditions we fought decades to achieve. And, while we are not directly part of this fight today, we will be at the bargaining table next summer with these same employers and must be prepared for this fight ourselves.

I continue to encourage each of you to stay informed and engaged. Attend union meetings, participate in discussions, and share your experiences. Our union depends on our members being actively involved. We must continue to support one another, stand up for our rights, and make our demands heard.

That said, we have prepared a member satisfaction survey and want to get your thoughts and opinions. Getting honest feedback is crucial in making sure your voices are heard and that the Local is representing and serving our members as effectively as we can Please click on the survey link here.

And, do not hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions or concerns.

In Solidarity,

Stephan Davis
Business Manager & Financial Secretary