IATSE Local 118 Organizes Stagehands at The Dance Centre

Source: IATSE.net

VANCOUVER, BC – In a legal decision issued by the BC Labour Relations Board on December 11, IATSE Local 118 has won the right to represent The Dance Centre stage technicians working at Vancouver’s Scotiabank Dance Centre. Citing their priorities as fair and appropriate wages, a desire to be properly classified as employees, and a collective will to build worker power, the technicians began discussions about representation with Local 118 early this year.

Local 118 filed the application for certification on March 20, after an overwhelming majority of the twelve casual employees had signed union representation cards. A provisional vote was held by the Labour Board, but the ballot box remained sealed following an employer challenge concerning the appropriateness of the bargaining unit. Ultimately, the Board determined that, based on membership evidence, an automatic certification was warranted. The certification excludes the Technical Director but will cover all other casual employees moving forward.

IATSE Local 118 Recording Secretary Conor Moore is thrilled for these stage workers and stated that their success “would not have been possible without the incredible work of the labour law firm of Black Gropper.” The certification is a victory for all theatre technicians interested in unionizing their workplaces and Moore notes that it “clearly demonstrates that theatre technicians are employees, regardless of any attempts by employers to misclassify them as independent contractors.” The stage technicians look forward to performing the work they love under the structure and support of their first collective agreement. Any theatre technicians in BC’s Lower Mainland who are interested in representation in their workplace should contact organizing@iatse118.com.