Matt Williams for Senior Steward
Q. What is the Senior Steward’s role at IATSE Local 891?
A. The Senior Steward’s role and responsibilities can be found in our Local’s constitution, which can found here. But in broad terms, the Senior Steward is responsible for overseeing and enforcing the Master Agreement . This includes appointing and supporting the Production Shop Stewards. They also responsible for maintaining positive, professional relationships with the employers, and representing our Local in the wider labour community, and in the wider film industry.
Q. How is the Senior Steward chosen?
A. The Senior Steward is elected from the membership, by the membership, for the membership, and serves for a three year term, but in this case the term will be until 31st December , 2025. To be elected they must receive over 50% of the votes. If no candidate receives over 50% of the votes in an election a run-off election will be held between the 2 members with the highest number of votes.
Q. What qualifications and experience do I have for this role?
A. I am an Honours Law Graduate with a specialization in Labour and Employment Law, and a Qualified Arbitrator. I am also completing a program to become a Qualified Mediator in the near future, and I have completed a number of Labour courses at the Canadian Labour Congress, the BC Federation of Labour, Vancouver District Labour Council, and our own Local. My experience includes nearly 20 years of administering Collective Agreements and Collective Bargaining in both Provincially and Federally regulated industries. In my early career I spent 18 years in the military where I learnt the true value of leadership including seeing leadership as a service. I also learnt about group dynamics in large diverse, and multi-disciplinary organizations such as ours.
Q. What film industry specific experience do I have?
A. During my time in the film industry I have spent almost equal amounts of time on shooting crews, and on prep crews as a Grip, a 2nd Grip, as a Rigging Grip, and as a Production Shop Steward. This has seen me work with many different departments, giving me a good understanding of the diverse nature of our industry and our membership. I’ve also spent a considerable amount of time dealing with Producers, Production Managers, and AD’s helping me to gain insights on their perspectives also. In addition to working on productions, I am a very active member of our Local and a member of our Executive Committee as the Chair of the Grip Department. During my time as the Department Chair I have worked hard to keep the members informed about issues within our Local, and within the wider film industry including the recent Hollywood strikes. I did this through regular email updates, examples of those updates can be found here. I have also represented our Local at Stakeholder Events relating to training, promoting BC as a filming location, and at the DGC BC’s Production Managers’ Caucus.
Q. What are the biggest challenges facing our industry and membership right now?
A. We are facing some very significant challenges. After experiencing previously unseen work stoppages we are now faced with a global downturn in production volumes and challenges to Vancouver and BC’s competitiveness as a filming location. I also feel that we have a lot of division within our Local and that this is holding us back.
Q. How do I plan to face these challenges?
A. As a priority I would work to bring the membership and the administration together through improved communication and relationship building, and by engaging with the membership. To succeed in facing the bigger challenges we need to face them together, and we need to face them as one. For the ongoing challenges that we face I will always work to favour the best interests of membership. This includes continuing to promote Vancouver and British Columbia as filming location by lobbying for improved tax credits and government support, promoting training opportunities for our members and consistently working to keep our membership informed and involved.
Q. What is my experience of Advocacy and Representing Workers?
A. My experience of advocacy and representing workers was gained over 30 years in a range of environments. During my military career I was often utilised as representative for soldiers facing disciplinary action. This included sitting in and advising them during investigative interviews with the Military Police and representing them during hearings and tribunals where I regularly achieved positive outcomes. More recently I have presented cases at both BC Human Rights Tribunal and the BC Labour Relations Board. In less formal settings I have assisted workers in accessing mental health supports, addiction treatment, and emergency accommodation needed in response to domestic violence as well as supporting individuals in conflict with their landlord. In addition to experience in this area, I am a Qualified Arbitrator, a trained mediator and have training in conflict resolution and de-escalation.
Q. What is my experience of Collective Bargaining?
A. I have extensive experience of Collective Bargaining stretching back over 16 years. This includes participating in Collective Bargaining on both Provincially and Federally regulated industries as well as a significant amount of formal training in negotiating from BCIT, and the JIBC. Perhaps most importantly, I am currently on our Local’s Bargaining Committee, and already heavily involved in our preparations for the next round of bargaining which are already underway.
Q. Why am I running for Senior Steward
A. I am running for Senior Steward of IATSE Local 891 because I care, and because I truly believe that I can do a good job for our membership. I care about film workers, I care about our Local, and I care about our industry. For most of us, our workplace relationships are the most significant relationships we have outside of our immediate family and I will always work to create and promote positive workplace environments. By way of my legal education and training, and my significant relevant experience from diverse environments, i am confident that I have much to offer the membership of IATSE Local 891. And, I am committed to being the best Senior Steward for the membership that I can be, and the Senior Steward that you deserve.
Please reach out to me with any questions you may have. I can be contacted through the Contact page on this site, or if you already have my contact details, please reach out to me directly.
Yours in Solidarity
Matt Williams LLB (Hon’s), Q.Arb