IATSE eyes expanded reach o'seas
Oz, Europe, South America targeted, Dems get union coin
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Short, in opening remarks at the opening of the Intl. Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees five-day convention, highlighted the growing activism of top IA execs in forming alliances with union counterparts in Australia, Europe and South America.
"The IATSE will continue to be involved in these organizations because the International has now become global in scope," he said.
Short told Daily Variety that no specific plans are yet in place to expand IA jurisdiction, which currently covers 102,000 craftspeople and techs in the U.S. and Canada. But he stressed that the growth of digital technology and the globalization of showbiz production has pushed IA execs to seek pragmatic solutions.
In another key development, British craft union exec Tony Lennon has been tapped as a guest speaker.
Short, appearing at the Chicago Sheraton before more than 700 delegates, also gave strong indications that the IA will ramp up support of Democratic candidates. On Sunday, the union's political action committee raised over $55,000 for use in upcoming campaigns; Short noted that the IA has already given significant campaign support to California Gov. Gray Davis, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Antonio Villaraigosa and New York gubernatorial hopeful Adam Cuomo.
"We need to put our money where our mouth is because we believe in the need to elect those who are friendly to labor and who will help to preserve what we have worked so hard to achieve in the labor movement," he said. "But as the final outcome in the United States released, our involvement cannot stop with the November 2000 elections."
The IA also tapped House Minority leader Richard Gephardt to deliver the keynote address Monday.
"You give us the majority back in Congress and you'll have a Congress that fights for working families and labor unions," he told the cheering delegates.
