Local 706 - The Artisan

THE ARTISAN FALL 2021 • 11 GUILD NEWS We Stand for Reasonable Rest This article is geared toward newer members, or those who need a refresher on how our negotiations are hard fought and need to be protected. Late Friday night in March 1997, Brent Lon Hershman and I were the only two crew members left wrapping our trailers after a 19-hour day in Long Beach. It was our first week of production on Pleasantville and every day had been very long. The make-up trailer and the camera truck were right next to each other so we were talking about the weekend. We were bone-tired and although reports claim that hotel rooms were offered, neither of us ever heard about it. Brent had a sick kid and just wanted to get home. We got to our cars and headed home. I headed to Glendale, he headed to West Hills. The next morning, my pager went off. It was production calling to see if I had made it home OK. That was when I learned I had made it home but Brent did not. The psychological devastation of Brent's death was unlike anything we had ever experienced before. The production gathered the entire crew together and they brought in psychologists to help us deal with the trauma. New protocols were established to help avoid this from ever happening again. Coffee was served to crew members as they left the parking lot, hotel rooms were offered (openly, not secretively), or if you felt unsafe to drive, you were offered a taxi home. I was left forever with the haunting memory of saying goodbye to Brent and wondering why I made it home and he didn't. That experience is what began the 22-year saga of the 10-hour turnaround. It began as one-on-one discussions with producers and UPMs, getting up close and personal with the story in or to create change. Brent's wife petitioned the studios to limit the workday to 14 hours. Local 600 President Steven Poster and cinematographer John Lindley and I were the most relentless proponents for a 10-hour turnaround. Even when we were discouraged by (former) leaders in the industry, we were like a dog with a bone. It was the best way to memorialize Brent. Not only did he and his family deserve it, every one of us who have worked extremely long hours and put ourselves in danger, deserved it too. It became our mission. It was not easy. We would put it into our negotiations and got shot down every time. It was exhausting, depressing and infuriating to be at the bargaining table, only to be treated like petulant children. The AMPTP just could not figure a way for productions to afford us one more hour of rest. It was dehumanizing, gut-wrenching and tearful. Especially frustrating was the fact that some of our own Brothers and Sisters from other crafts were not in alignment, fearful their overtime would be reduced. Truth. Local 706 stuck to its guns, we stayed on course. by Sue Cabral-Ebert GUILD NEWS "(We) were the most relentless proponents for a 10-hour turnaround. Even when we were discouraged by (former) leaders in the industry, we were like a dog with a bone. It was the best way to memorialize Brent. Not only did he and his family deserve it, every one of us who have worked extremely long hours and put ourselves in danger, deserved it too. It became our mission." Finally in 2018 (after three Basic Agreement contracts), we were able to enjoy the solidarity of our other locals. "Quality of Life" became the beacon for everyone in the IATSE. It wasn't just about health benefits, we actually needed to have a life. The irony was that when the Producers/AMPTP finally bent to allow the 10-hour turnaround with several provisions, it was after a 27-hour day at the bargaining table. Although it wasn't perfect, we had won. Lindley, Poster and I were in tears, and the hug I got from President Loeb was unforgettable. Contract negotiations are never easy. They are often

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