In the wake of my recent article detailing the retaliation, harassment, and job cancellations I faced, I found myself called for the first time by the union business agent, Todd, on November 13th at 10 AM. However, the conversation did not unfold as expected. Todd interrupted me, talked over me, and adamantly denied any form of retaliation, despite my experiences suggesting otherwise.
During the conversation, I highlighted the parallels between Todd's position and my own, emphasizing that he recently did similar calls, lacking formal qualifications or skill cards, and have been placed in similar roles. I pointed out the discrepancy between the union's rhetoric against retaliation and the evident enforcement of such practices. Despite my attempts to communicate my concerns, Todd dismissed them outright.
As of November 14th, a significant issue remains unresolved — my payment for the work I completed at Freeman AV from October 11th to 19th. It appears that the union only notified Freeman AV of my complaint November 13th, leaving me without payment for an extended period despite my consistent follow-ups. See this sreenshot of calls beginning late October.
In response to my inquiry about my status and future job opportunities, Todd suggested that I visit the union website and initiate a skill card request. According to him, I would need three individuals to sign it to take calls in any specific skill card. This requirement struck me as particularly ironic, considering that, after over 20 years of service, I now face termination for lacking a skill card.
I further informed Todd that my skill cards had been inexplicably erased three times in the past. The most recent instance left me without any cards for a year until Nancy from the union contacted me to provide a Video Engineer (VE) card. The sudden termination, due to a missing skill card, raises questions about the union's practices and whether this action is created to harass & retaliate against me.
My history with the union has been marked by standing up against unfair labor practices. Over two decades ago, I joined forces with Mark Wondra and Bruce Smith to unionize PS-AV (now Encore). All employees signed blue cards of representation, only to witness the union renege on its promises by signing an aboveboard labor agreement preventing unionization of house employees. Bruce and Mark faced termination through various reasons, and I, too, was targeted with a write-up supposedly from 16 weeks prior for being late experiencing my first anti-union harassment by this company early 2003. This depletes nearly a year from my vested pension earnings & much more from many more employees who were misrepresented.
In an attempt to create positive change, I gave a two-week notice, eventually unionizing my next employer, the largest film studio in Nevada, CMX Film Studios. Unfortunately, this endeavor led to the studio's shutdown, and once again, the union abandoned the laid-off workers. In 2003, I had to navigate the complex union landscape, employing less conventional means to secure my entry sneaking in overnight shifts while dispatch was closed & labor was required.
As this saga continues, I am committed to documenting my experiences and pursuing justice for not only myself but also for others who may be facing similar challenges within the unionized workforce. The journey towards fair treatment, payment, and a workplace free from discrimination persists, and I will keep you updated on the developments in this ongoing struggle as the anti-union practices of Encore & our Staff continue unchecked.
