PALM HARBOR, Fl., Feb. 9 – Joseph A. Aredas, International Representative-in-Charge of the West Coast Office and a member of the IATSE since 1967, announced his retirement today (February 9) at the IATSE General Executive Board Meeting held this week in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Michael F. Miller, Jr., Eleventh International Vice President of the IATSE General Executive Board, was appointed Representative-in-Charge of the West Coast Office by International President Thomas C. Short to succeed Mr. Aredas.
“Joe Aredas is a man trusted, respected and admired by everyone in the entertainment industry,” said International President Short. “He has been a friend to me for 30 years and has helped grow the Hollywood Locals to the 30,000 members we have today. His influence on this union will be felt for generations to come.”
Mr. Aredas has served as International Representative-in-Charge of the West Coast Office since his appointment by International President Short in 1998. A native of Los Angeles, he began his career in the entertainment industry in 1967 at the MGM machine shop as a member of the former IATSE Local 789 Cinetechnicians. In 1980, he was appointed Assistant Business Representative of IATSE Local 695, a position he held for seven years. Soon after, he accepted a position at Consolidated Film Industries (CFI), a Hollywood motion picture film processing laboratory, as Vice President of Labor Relations. In December of 1997 he left CFI to assume the position of Chief Administrative Officer at the industry’s Contract Services Administration Trust Fund, which is jointly administered by Producers and the IATSE. Mr. Aredas is Vice President of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, and serves on the board of directors of the Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC); Motion Picture and Television Fund; Entertainment Industry Foundation; the California Film Commission; and the Board of Airport Commissioners of Los Angeles.
Eleventh International Vice President Miller has served as a member of the Executive Board since July 2004. Mr. Miller began his career in the IATSE in 1990 with IATSE Stagehands Local 27 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1993, he was elected to the Executive Board of that Local and served in that capacity until he was elected Secretary-Treasurer in 2000. He also worked as the Business Agent of Cleveland-based Special Department B-27. In 2001, Mr. Miller joined the IATSE West Coast Office as an International Representative.
Mr. Miller is also a member of IATSE Local 209 Studio Mechanics, and IATSE Local 80 Grips. His father and several cousins are also members of the IATSE. He also serves as a Labor Trustee on the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans.
