Local 600 building

[David Allen Grove]

Does anyone know how much the new Local 600 building costs us? Just curious.

If you haven't been there, it's nice.

[Michael Stumpf]

David,

 

I'm sure it's rented space.

As there is no doubt it's higher than the old one located down the street, the old building, if you've never been there, was sorely in need of updating. There was lack of parking, conjested offices, etc.

 

Since it's our, the member's union, the rental price on the new building should be available if asked.

[JamieSilverstein]

David;

I was a member of the executive board of local 600 when we decided to buy and renovate the building. My memory is not great, but I do remember a figure in the 3 million range. The building was paid for through the sale of the share of the previous building and sale of other liquid holdings, namely equities, and yes it is a wonderful building, an asset, and an excellent representation of a very fine union and guild. It should serve Local 600 well for many many years to come. One and all should visit.

[Anthony Hardwick]

What I want to know about the new building is....

 

WHY is there no screening room in it for the benefit of our membership? With all of the planning, renovation, etc. we are still begging and borrowing screening rooms from other Guilds (like the DGA). That makes no sense to me at all.

 

Sorry for the rant. Maybe I'm the only to one whom this flaw seems obvious to.

[David Allen Grove]

I knew they (I mean WE) had purchased it. I've heard all sorts of different amounts from different people.... ranging from 7 million to 75 million?!?!? hmm.

 

I think it's completely insane that we don't have a theater. It just doesn't make sense. Even the writer's guild has a theater! check it out...

 

http://www.wga.org/qtvr/auditorium.html

[David Allen Grove]

David;

I was a member of the executive board of local 600 when we decided to buy and renovate the building.  My memory is not great, but I do remember a figure in the 3 million range.

Hi Jamie,

 

Didn't see your post till now. Yes, it's a really nice building. Has a big conference room with video link to, I'm assuming, the east coast local? Right off the conference room is an outdoor patio which is on the second floor. Lots of poster size photos of steadicam operators on the walls.

 

On a side note: There was discussion of requiring union members to come to the meetings once again. I was told, members would get fined if they didn't show up to the local meetings. I think they were really serious about it. In the almost 2 years that I've been in the union, I've attended all but one of the meetings. I think it's a good thing to go to, just to be kept informed how the union is serving is members. (lot of unhappy folks at the last meeting...)

 

I'm also mailing my ballots in tomorrow, so don't forget to vote!

 

Well, that's all for now. "Dude, Where's my car?" is on the FX channel so I must go.

"What's Mine say? Sweet! What's mine say? Dude!"

[JamieSilverstein]

Anthony;

when the building was in the planning stages and the drawings were presented to the executive board, my only remarks concerning the plans was that there was nothing resembling a screening room for our members. The response, and it seems to make sense to me at this point is that the cost of a screening room in regards to the overall cost of renovation was much too high to justify. Additionally, in a land of screening rooms, was it the most cost efficient use of space. I had to relent to the logic at that time and it still makes sense to me now. But the thought did occur to me as well as to many others on the board.

Nevertheless the building is pretty great. It has plenty of meeting space, great photos of membership, and is a good working environment for the staff. What more could you ask for.

David;

I too am sending in my ballot. This is the first time in many years that I don't have my name on it and it feels kind of strange, but the politics on the east coast are not very nice, and I think that I need a break from the morass.

[Brad Grimmett]

On a side note: There was discussion of requiring union members to come to the meetings once again. I was told, members would get fined if they didn't show up to the local meetings. I think they were really serious about it.

I'm not in the union, but I'm wondering about something. What happens if you're out of town? Whether it be for work or something else? Would you get fined anyway? Or what if you're working and can't make it to the meeting? This seems like something a fraternity would do, not a union. Do you have to have a note from the producer saying that you couldn't make it? Seems like the membership would want to show up if the union is truly supportive of them and listened to their needs. Just curious because that seems strange to me.

[JamieSilverstein]

Just for clarification sake, a union member must call in his or her job when working, be it union or non union job. Once the job is called in for that particular day, that union member is excused from other union obligation. This arises often for members of the NEB who attend meetings regionally at least once a month.

If a member is out of town for a period of time on personal business, then all that member needs do is inform the union that they will not be able to attend the meeting. That in my mind is simple courtsy, and tons easier than the union calling all 6or so thousand members to who might or might not attend a meeting.

Being a member of a union carries many privledges and few responsibilities. The advantages are the standards created and maintained by the union. The obligations are reporting jobs so that the union can work to maintain contracts on each and every job and organize those with union members working, and trying to stay abreast of what the union is trying to do on the behalf of the membership.

I hope this clarifies things a little.

[Anthony Hardwick]

Jamie,

 

Thanks for the explanation. I guess that makes sense, but I still wish we had a screening room. Having said that, I haven't had a chance to check it out yet. I'll have to get down there before long.

 

Is the NYC office in the same place (14th off 8th Avenue)?

 

Hope all is well with you,

 

Anthony

[David Allen Grove]

Jamie,

 

Thanks for the explanation.  I guess that makes sense, but I still wish we had a screening room. 

Anthony

I second that! I think our union should have had the theater built.

Maybe it could've been rented out as a meeting place or for showing indie movies? Just a thought.

 

I vote that we have a theater built! :)

[David Allen Grove]

The obligations are reporting jobs so that the union can work to maintain contracts on each and every job and organize those with union members working, and trying to stay abreast of what the union is trying to do on the behalf of the membership.

I know people ( I'm not going to mention who they are of course) who do not report their non-union jobs. Some have said that they feel if they work on a particular show and it turns union they'll work less days because of the cost to the production which means fewer days and ultimately less work. A lot of these people don't make their days and feel that they wouldn't make their days no matter what... there just isn't enough work.

 

Having said that, I report my all my jobs. (I did forget a few times when I first joined though..oops) Now, the Job report form is part of my "contract packet" that I fax to production. I make them fill it out and fax it back to me, then I forward it to the union.

 

In June I will have been in the union for 2 years. I've had maybe.... 9 days of union work? 8 days camera and 1 day with steadicam only because production neglected to tell their steadicam op he was suppose to work on that particular day and they couldn't get a hold of him. They got my name from the availability list. So it does work and I made some fairly decent money.

 

Speaking of availibility lists... The canadian Local has their list online, which I think is a great idea. I wish our local did that. It would make it A LOT easier for producers to find someone. Check it out... http://www.ia669.com/long_term.html

 

I've been thinking about adding an availibility list to the Steadicam Guild web site.

If you all are interested, I could make one. This would be for our use in case you get double booked and can't find anyone to replace you.

 

What do you all think?

[Brad Grimmett]

Just for clarification sake, a union member must call in his or her job when working, be it union or non union job.

Gotcha. That makes more sense. I'm on the verge of joining now and it's great to be able to see some opinions of other operators out there. I hear so many mixed things about the union while I'm on jobs that it's hard to know what to believe and trust. It's nice to hear things from people I know and respect.

Anybody who's joined recently care to share what it costs to join as an operator these days?

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Anybody who's joined recently care to share what it costs to join as an operator these days?

If I remember correctly it's $6000 just to get in as an operator ($10,000 for a DP card). Then Quarterly dues of $181.00 (No matter if you work or not) and then 1.75% of your gross.

 

Health Insurance is 600 hours in 1 year to qualify then 300hours every 6 month

[Anthony Hardwick]

DP dues are higher than that ;)