VANCOUVER, BC – Film workers in the Okanagan have ratified the first collective agreement between IATSE Local 891 and Champlain Media West (CMW), with 93% of votes cast in favour of the groundbreaking deal. This is the first multi-year agreement that Local 891 has signed with an individual production company outside the BC Council of Film Unions and is a big step in advancing unionized domestic motion picture opportunities.
“IATSE 891 has secured a fair, first-time contract that will have an immediate impact. It establishes floor wages; per diem payments for distant locations; payment of Health and Welfare, RRSP, and Vacation pay fringes; and of course, allows workers to access union representation,” said Business Representative Crystal Braunwarth, who acted as lead negotiator for the historic deal.
Lead Organizer Sano and fellow organizer Conor Moore have been dedicated to workers in the area over the last three years and paved the way for contract negotiations to happen. Sano explained that getting to the point of bargaining with an Employer doesn’t come without a healthy amount of grassroots organizing. “These workers have been fighting for over a year to make Kelowna a union town for film crews. This victory belongs to the workers.”
IATSE 891 President Mitch Davies expressed encouragement for the new deal and what it means for other unrepresented film workers as he welcomed the Kelowna community into the fold. “These workers have sent a strong message that all film artists and technicians in the Interior deserve a fair and equitable contract. IATSE 891 is committed to growing the film community in the Okanagan, through meaningful collaboration in the region.”
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Krista Hurdon, IATSE International Representative
khurdon@iatse.net