Local 695 Constitution & Bylaws Amendments
On Saturday, January 14, Local 695 held its Q1 General Membership Meeting. This historic meeting was conducted both in a hybrid format, with members gathering in person at Local 80 and members joining in remotely via Zoom. Amongst the topics for discussion were two amendments to the Local 695 Constitution & Bylaws, which were brought before the membership for a vote. The hybrid voting process is a complex one, as many factors need to be taken into account in order to ensure compliance with the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, as well as the governing mandates of the IATSE. Local 695 is now one of the first labor unions in the nation to host an LMRDA-compliant hybrid vote of this nature and many of our finest engineers remarked on how impressed they were with the quality of the remote integration. The leadership would like to thank Zak Holley of Holley Video for engineering the live switch camera setup that allowed remote members to fully see, hear, and participate in the proceedings. They would also like to thank members Bill Kaplan and Oscar Alva for prepping and operating the sound component of the meeting. Local 695 has been referred to as the Technical Crown Jewel of the IATSE by the International leadership and these gentlemen worked hard to ensure we lived up to that title. The results of the vote have been forwarded to the Office of the IATSE International President and, pending his approval, will be adopted into the Local’s Constitution & Bylaws. For the full language of the amendments, please check your Local 695 emails, call the Local 695 office at (818) 985-9204, or see the Members Only section of the Local 695 website at www.local695.com.
Update Skills in Membership Directory
The membership directory can be a powerful tool for finding work when used correctly. Everyone is advised to log in to the Local 695 website to update their information in the directory and their status in the Available of Work list so that they can be recommended for work as needed.
Local 695 Holiday Party at Pickwick Gardens
On Saturday, December 3, Local 695 hosted its first holiday party since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than two hundred Local 695 members and guests came together at the Pickwick Gardens Grand Ballroom for a night of celebration, relaxation, and charity. Assistant Business Rep & LA Federation of Labor Vice President Heidi Nakamura spearheaded a toy drive through the Federation, which gathered dozens of toys and gifts for children in need. Our Local was able to make the season just a little bit brighter for those in our community who needed it most.
Additionally, we hosted a grand raffle, with prizes sponsored or donated by the Cinema Audio Society, Pronology, Halter Technical, K-Tek, and Denecke, Inc. The proceeds of the raffle and the event’s ticket sales were donated to the Motion Picture Television Fund to the tune of $8,625. It was wonderful to see so many of our members and their families, as well as to come together in support of such good causes. The Local’s leadership would like to thank our office staff for the many hours of work they put into such a phenomenal event.
IATSE Education
The IATSE provides a multitude of continuing education opportunities for its members.
LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is an excellent source of online training tutorials covering topics such as Avid Pro Tools, Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, Rhino, Vectorworks, Final Cut Pro, FileMaker, AutoCad, Cubase, Logic Pro, ShotPut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Vegas Pro, as well as Project Management, Software Development, Network Administration, Finance and Accounting, Marketing and much more. All IATSE members are eligible to sign up for a free LinkedIn Learning Account by visiting https://www.iatsetrainingtrust.org/lil.
You can also view a multitude of free educational webinars sponsored by the IA Training Trust Fund online at www.gotostage.com/channel/iaeducationforall. These webinars cover a range of topics from labor and voting rights; the basics of equity, diversity, and inclusion; mental health subjects such as depression, substance abuse; physical safety and well-being at work; and so much more.
Late & Unreported MPI Hours
The Local has received complaints of late and unreported MPI Plan hours. All members are encouraged to check their MPI accounts through the MPI website. If any hours appear to be missing, you can call the support line at (818) 769-0007, ext. 2381 or email support at CPParticipantInquiries@mpiphp.org.
New Members
Local 695 Welcomes its New Member
Bernard Sissel Y-7A
Elizabeth Smith Y-7A
Jeffrey Thatcher Y-7
Alan Barber Y-16
Tristen Poliseno Y-4
Keith La Masney Y-1
Brian Bednar A-2
Jim Bloomquist Y-4
In Memoriam
Anthony Jarvis – Y-7
May 6, 1952 – October 13, 2022
Mark Grech – Y-8
June 29, 1954 – November 22, 2022
Monte Swann – Y-4
June 6, 1954 – December 6, 2022