News

Over 800 delegates participated in the 66th IATSE convention at the Walt Disney World Disney World Dolphin Resort, Orlando, Florida, 27 - 31 July. IATSE represents over 110 000 workers employed in the stagecraft, motion picture and television production, and trade show industries throughout the United States, its Territories, and Canada.



Delegates elected Matt D. Loeb as International President. General Secretary-Treasurer James B. Wood as well as the 13 Vice Presidents, three Trustees and one CLC delegate were re-elected to their offices. They paid tribute to International President Emeritus Short who led the organisation to new strength during the last decade.



Loeb was first elected International President by the IATSE Executive board in summer 2008 after International President Thomas C. Short retired from his position. As IATSE’s first Division Director of Motion Picture and Television Production Matt Loeb devised and implemented successfully an aggressive organizing and bargaining strategy under the leadership of President Emeritus Short. He became an International Representative in June, 1994. He was elected by the General Executive Board to the position of International Vice President in February 2002 and at the 65th Convention in 2005. In addition, he served as Chairman of the East Coast Council for better than 14 years. At the General Assembly of UNI MEI in 2007, Loeb was elected UNI MEI First-Vice President and was named to the World Executive Board of UNI Global Union.



The Convention adopted strong resolutions calling for adoption of health care reform in the US, reinforcing the campaign for the adoption of the employment free choice act and renewing its commitment to fight digital piracy in cooperation with sister organisations at home and abroad. Jay Roth, Executive Director of the DGA who addressed the convention specifically on piracy underlined that is the single most important issue the entertainment industry is facing and that theft of content that threatens to drain the lifeblood of the motion picture industry is prevented.



UNI-MEI Vice President and BECTU President Tony Lennon, BECTU General Secretary Gerry Morrissey as well as UNI MEI’s Johannes Studinger attended and addressed the convention. Both Lennon and Morrissey underlined the importance of the international cooperation between the two unions and with other sister organisations through their work in UNI Global Union. Studinger thanked IATSE for its continuous support and President Emeritus Short’s leadership who served the international labour movement for many years as UNI-MEI First Vice President. Studinger emphasised that UNI-MEI will continue the fight against internet theft and step-up cooperation with sister organisations and industry to develop a global campaign against piracy.



You can also dowload the press release of the IATSE above.