NEW YORK – The broadcast technicians for Chicago Cubs, White Sox, and Bulls games represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical |Stage Employes (IATSE) ratified their first contract with Trio Video May 30. The vote was 21 to 3.
Employees who will be covered under the new agreement include technical directors, camera operators, videotape operators, digital recording device operators, audio technicians, graphics operators, utility technicians, and score box operators engaged in the broadcast of live sports events. Trio Video provides broadcast trucking services to Comcast Sports Net in the Chicago area.
Organizing and negotiating a contract with Trio Video took some time. After a National Labor Relations Board supervised election in March of 2005, the IATSE was selected overwhelmingly as the collective bargaining agent for the unit. The IBEW had claimed an interest in representing the employees, but the ballot count resulted in the IATSE demonstrating powerful support with 39 votes for the IATSE and one lone vote for the IBEW.
International President Thomas C. Short will charter a new local for the employees. International Vice President and Co-Director of the Organizing Department of the IATSE, Daniel Di Tolla, represented the employees in the organizing effort and the negotiations.
