Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1525020
Fall 024 – LOCAL695.COM 17 staying in their comfort zone?" My mind did a 180-degree turn and I knew that if I had a shot to get a message to these executives, I'd better swing as hard as I could, because I didn't know if I would ever get up to the plate again. So, I said, "Yes." I won't lie. With only a few days before the negotiations, I was still pretty nervous about what I was facing. I wanted to be perfect. I wanted to walk out of there with the golden ticket. I received a well-put-together PowerPoint presentation from Local 695 that showcased all the sound and video issues we wanted to discuss with the AMPTP. I could tell there was a ton of thought, time, and effort put into the presentation, but these were not my words or my thoughts. If I was going to contribute to these negotiations, I had to be able to bring my own experiences to the table. After speaking with Business Representative Scott Bernard, he assured me I would have my time on the floor to say what I needed to say. So, with forty- eight hours until the meeting, the pressure was on. I spent the next day speaking with my National Video-Assist group partner Sam Harrison. Sam has an uncanny ability to take the thousands of words I will throw at him and narrow it down to what is really important. We settled on composing a small speech about how on a daily basis, the Video-Assist Operators are forced to work in an unsafe environment. We are frequently OVERWHELMED, both physically and mentally. After a few hours, we finalized a two-page document that listed all of our concerns and had bullet points on how the Video- Assist duties had grown exponentially with the advancement of technology. With this final draft in hand, my confidence grew. At least I had something in my hand that I could stick to; a script if you will. Josh Levy with Sound Mixer Bill McPherson