Vancouver, BC – IATSE Locals 669 and 891 have met with success in their efforts, as part of the British Columbia and Yukon Council of Film Unions, to certify “Space Buddies,” a non-union motion picture currently shooting in Vancouver. It is being produced by International Keystone Entertainment, the company behind the profitable “Air Bud” franchise. “Space Buddies” will be distributed by Walt Disney Home Video and has a budget of approximately $9 million.
The application to certify was filed with the BC Labour Board on February 12, 2008, with the vote occurring ten days later. Employer arguments made to seal the ballot box were ultimately rejected by the Labour Board, and on March 11, 2008, the ballot box was opened and widespread support for the unions was revealed. Of the 78 employees who voted, 61 voted for union representation; a strong win with a 3 to 1 margin. The Council has notified the employer, Space Buddies Productions Inc., of its readiness to commence collective bargaining.
This successful certification follows months of organizing efforts by the British Columbia and Yukon Council of Film Unions in non-union film and television production. The Labour Board’s decision to proceed with the ballot count on “Space Buddies” and the subsequent victory by the union is a decisive step forward in realizing the determined efforts of workers to achieve union representation. It is the first certification for the British Columbia and Yukon Council of Film Unions, which was established in a 1995 British Columbia Labour Relations Board ruling.