Union membership in the U.S. before EAD

[Lana&Ivy 215]

I'm hoping you kind folks can offer some words of wisdom.  I'm anticipating K1 approval this spring (NOA1 Aug 28) and will be moving to California from Canada.  

 

I am a film/tv technician, and the Union membership prerequisites in California require a certain number of days worked within the past one year period.  My fear is that the days I have accumulated over the past year in Canada will not be accepted if the time to get my work permit means my days worked are not within that one year period.  If I don't work another show before the spring, the days in the past year I have worked are from May-October 2018, so, essentially, none of them would count because of the wait for the EAD, and I'd pretty much need to start my career over if the union refuses to be flexible. 😕

 

My question: Can I join the union- and just not work or seek work once I'm a member -before I receive the EAD?  I'm aware of the optics and risk involved in taking volunteer positions, which is why I'm posing the question.  Thanks in advance to anyone who has experience with this or can offer me some advice.

[payxibka 10,044]

1 minute ago, Lana&Ivy said:

I'm hoping you kind folks can offer some words of wisdom.  I'm anticipating K1 approval this spring (NOA1 Aug 28) and will be moving to California from Canada.  

 

I am a film/tv technician, and the Union membership prerequisites in California require a certain number of days worked within the past one year period.  My fear is that the days I have accumulated over the past year in Canada will not be accepted if the time to get my work permit means my days worked are not within that one year period.  If I don't work another show before the spring, the days in the past year I have worked are from May-October 2018, so, essentially, none of them would count because of the wait for the EAD, and I'd pretty much need to start my career over if the union refuses to be flexible. 😕

 

My question: Can I join the union- and just not work or seek work once I'm a member -before I receive the EAD?  I'm aware of the optics and risk involved in taking volunteer positions, which is why I'm posing the question.  Thanks in advance to anyone who has experience with this or can offer me some advice.

Being a union member is not working

[aaron2020 11,651]

The US Government does not care if you join a union or not.  They are concern with unauthorized work.  As long as you are not working, then it doesn't matter what group you join.

 

You can not volunteer in your field.  You would be working illegally even if you don't get paid.

[Brian&Larissa 73]

4 minutes ago, Lana&Ivy said:

I'm hoping you kind folks can offer some words of wisdom.  I'm anticipating K1 approval this spring (NOA1 Aug 28) and will be moving to California from Canada.  

 

I am a film/tv technician, and the Union membership prerequisites in California require a certain number of days worked within the past one year period.  My fear is that the days I have accumulated over the past year in Canada will not be accepted if the time to get my work permit means my days worked are not within that one year period.  If I don't work another show before the spring, the days in the past year I have worked are from May-October 2018, so, essentially, none of them would count because of the wait for the EAD, and I'd pretty much need to start my career over if the union refuses to be flexible. 😕

 

My question: Can I join the union- and just not work or seek work once I'm a member -before I receive the EAD?  I'm aware of the optics and risk involved in taking volunteer positions, which is why I'm posing the question.  Thanks in advance to anyone who has experience with this or can offer me some advice.

Have you tried calling the union and discussing this with them?  I am not a union person, so I can't answer, but contacting the union would be my first course of action.  Hear directly from the union that you would belong to rather than mostly conjecture.  My thoughts!  Good luck

[Commish10 427]

Stay away from Unions if at all possible

[aaron2020 11,651]

8 minutes ago, Commish10 said:

Stay away from Unions if at all possible

Sure, if you are okay with businesses having all the power and workers having none.  

[Ontarkie 13,903]

~~Moved to Working and Traveling, from K1 P&P - As a better forum for this discussion.~~

[theresaL 408]

I think it might depend on which union. Are you talking SAG/AFTRA, DGA, WGA, IBEW, ect. I would contact the office of the one that applies and inquire about moving days from one Local to another. You might also want start collecting Production Reports and Call Sheets, however PRs will have more wieght since it's the offical daily report. Also request a copy of the most recent agreement and start reading.

 

Good luck.

[Lana&Ivy 215]

19 hours ago, theresaL said:

I think it might depend on which union. Are you talking SAG/AFTRA, DGA, WGA, IBEW, ect. I would contact the office of the one that applies and inquire about moving days from one Local to another. You might also want start collecting Production Reports and Call Sheets, however PRs will have more wieght since it's the offical daily report. Also request a copy of the most recent agreement and start reading.

 

Good luck.

Thank you so much for this.  It's IATSE in California and a different union in Canada.  I have all of my pay stubs through the payroll company and I'm sure I can get letters from producers, etc. if need be.

 

Thank you everyone for your responses.

[theresaL 408]

30 minutes ago, Lana&Ivy said:

Thank you so much for this.  It's IATSE in California and a different union in Canada.  I have all of my pay stubs through the payroll company and I'm sure I can get letters from producers, etc. if need be.

 

Thank you everyone for your responses.

I'm not that familiar with the IATSE rules, but I know with DGA the PRs are given much more weight since they have your name listed and it is the official report. Contact the IATSE Local for your craft in Cali and ask them if they recognize your Canadian Union (pretty sure they do) and what proof you would need to provide to prove days and what the process is for having it recognized and the process for membership and how $$$$. Then contact the production offices and request copies of the signed PRs for all days that you are listed as official crew. PRs usually have the signature of the 1st AD, Production Manager and one or more of the Producers. Not sure if there are others but I can look at an old one when I get home and get back to you. The payroll companies may also have copies of the PRs since it includes daily time in/out.  Gosh, it's been a long time since I've thought about all of this when I was collecting days for DGA third area.

 

Good luck!