Local 354 Apprentice Program Handbook

TULSA STAGE EMPLOYEES
Local 354
of the
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States and Canada

APPRENTICE PROGRAM HANDBOOK
AND
APPLICATION INFORMATION

APPRENTICE COMMITTEE
•
.

Purpose

To recognize the need of our industry for highly skilled, knowledgeable and technically proficient workers to perform the jobs and future jobs available in the jurisdiction of Local 354. In addressing this need, we further recognize that all persons working under this jurisdiction must be trained and retrained in the arts, skills, crafts, techniques and tools of today and the future. It is, therefore, our purpose and aim to provide and administer a program to train every person who works in this jurisdiction.

Aim

To assure that each employer will obtain the services of proficient workers when they use Local 354.
To provide the public with the highest possible grade of services through Local 354.
To relate employment demands and ethics to the future supply of skilled workers.
To encourage a careful selection of people entering into the trade.
To require that all persons working under the umbrella of Local 354 are well-trained and knowledgeable of our industry.

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

APPRENTICE COMMITTEE

Supervises and oversees the Apprentice Program

APPLICATION PROCESS

Any person applying for membership in this local must be of good moral character and reputation and unless waived by the International for proper cause upon application by the local, must have been a resident within Local 354's area of jurisdiction for at least 18 months preceding application with Local 354.

Applications to the program are accepted bi-annually from May 1st to May 31st and from November 1st until November 30th. Applications are accepted and provide equal opportunity for training without discrimination because of age, sex, race, color, religion or national origin.

To be eligible for the program, an applicant must:

Have a minimum of 700 cumulative hours as a permit worker on the Local 354 dispatch list.
Have all percentages and fines paid. (Be in good financial standing.)
Have been a resident within Local 354's jurisdiction for 18 months.
Have completed and submitted an application package including a Resume.

SCREENING PROCESS GOVERNING RULES

The maximum number of apprentices accepted annually shall be six. The screening process shall consist of the committee interviewing applicants, reviewing the applicant's application package and reviewing the applicant's work history with the local. In cases of more qualified applicants than openings in the program, the final determining factor shall be the applicant's qualification date.

An application may be rejected for any of the following reasons:

Documented anti-union activity.
On parole for a felony conviction.
Outstanding union fees or fines.
Suspension from the Local 354 Dispatch List.
Incomplete application package.
Failure to meet minimum job standards.

STEPS TAKEN UPON ACCEPTANCE TO PROGRAM

The Apprentice must sign the Apprentice Agreement and pay a $50.00 registration fee. After the agreement is signed, the apprentice is assigned, for one year, an advisor from the pool of volunteer journeyman.

CLASS SYSTEM

The program consists of three years of approximately 16 to 20 classes a year covering a variety of topic areas. A class may not exceed four hours and not be less than one hour. Instructors for such classes will be drawn from the membership.

Apprentices will pay $200.00 total per year for all classes (not including regular IATSE membership quarterly dues).

The committee will provide textbooks for checkout. Failure of an applicant to return textbooks, upon either completion of the program or suspension or removal from the program, will require Local 354 to be reimbursed for the actual new purchase value of the textbook(s) not returned.

Journeymen may attend classes at a cost of $10.00 per class subject to class size limit set by the instructor.

There is no payment or compensation to either apprentices or journeymen for attending classes.

Instructors

Each instructor will take full responsibility for preparing class lessons under the outline of the Program Syllabus.

Each instructor will arrange the time and place of class as is convenient with his or her own schedule.
Apprentices Must:

Diligently and faithfully perform the lessons of the class to the best of their ability.
Give respect and attention to each instructor.
Respect both the property where a class is held and any equipment and/or materials utilized to conduct the training.
At all times conduct themselves in a creditable, ethical and moral manner, realizing that much time, money and effort is spent in affording each participant the opportunity to become a trained craftsperson.

Test Requirements

Examinations may be either in written form, with key for equality, or may be administered by computer with answers programmed. All written and practical tests are given on an equal basis to each applicant. Tests may, however, be alternated or revised to keep testing secure. The Apprentice Committee chairman must approve all lessons, tests and schedules.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ELEVATION TO JOURNEYMAN I

Such applicant shall be of legal age to engage in gainful employment within the jurisdiction of Local 354.

Such applicant will have successfully completed the Apprentice Program offered by this local unless said requirement is waived for just cause by the membership of Local 354.

Such applicant shall have attained one thousand five hundred (1500) total hours of represented work for the previous three calendar years.

Such applicant shall achieve a composite test score of not less than seventy-five (75) percent.

SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS WHILE IN THE PROGRAM

IATSE (International) non-refundable Processing Fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) must accompany each application.

IATSE Local 354 Initiation Fee of $500.00 must be paid within one year of actual initiation date however, a $50.00 Good Faith deposit, which will be credited against the initiation fee balance, must also accompany the application.

IATSE Membership Dues are currently $50.00 per quarter or $200.00 per annum. Dues are payable, on a quarterly basis, at the beginning of each quarter. Quarters begin on the first calendar days of January, April, July and September of each year.

A Training Fee of $50.00 per quarter for a period of three years for a total fee of $600.00.

A four-percent (4%) assessment shall be collected on all earnings. Presently, assessments are automatically withheld from all earnings paid by Theatrical Accounting Services Limited, Tulsa Opera and Tulsa Ballet.

WORK LIST PLACEMENT OF APPRENTICE MEMBERS

Apprentices are automatically placed on the "B" List during their apprentice membership.

Apprentices shall be rated at Tech II status upon initiation
MINIMUM JOB STANDARDS

To be eligible for work, a worker must meet certain obligations to the Union. Failure to fulfill these obligations may result in suspension from the Dispatch List. The obligations are as follows:

A worker must make payment of percentages for dispatched work.
Each worker must pay a 4% assessment of gross wages.
Payment is due no later than thirty (30) days after worker is paid or after notification that a request of non-represented work is approved.
letter will make notification of delinquency of percentage and a charge of $5.00 will be assessed for this letter.
If payment is not received by the local within seven days of receiving said letter, a worker will not be placed on a call until payment is received.
A worker must have, at the jobsite, the following required tools:
Crescent wrench, hammer, pliers or channel locks, screwdrivers (slotted and Phillips,) 9/16 socket with ratchet, knife, flashlight work gloves.

Failure to appear at a call without the proper tools may result in the worker being removed from the call.

Workers shall abstain from the use of alcohol and controlled substances while in the work place.
A worker found under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the work place shall be replaced on the call.
A worker replaced on a call due to alcohol or substance abuse shall be commanded to appear before Local 354's Executive Board and after review of the instance, may be subject to suspension from the Dispatch List.
A worker must arrive at the job site on time for the job. The call time is when work begins and is not considered- the arrival time of the worker.

Guidelines (including disciplinary action) as set forth by Local 354's IATSE 354 Technicians Handbook for Tardiness and No-Shows shall apply to all apprentice classes.

Apprentice Agreement

This agreement states the responsibilities of IATSE Local 354 to the apprentice candidate and the responsibility of the apprentice candidate to The Local 354 Apprentice Program.

Local 354 (hereinafter referred to as "The Local") shall provide for all apprentice candidates (hereinafter referred to as "the candidate"):

A regularly scheduled series of educational classes intended to provide training in skills of the trade, leadership and safety. Opportunity for completing the program will be provided in a period of no more than three (3) years duration.
An evaluation system, whereby the candidate's progress through the program is monitored, and whereby the candidate is able to critique the effectiveness of the program.
Counseling, which may be in the form of an individual counselor or counselors.

Upon acceptance into the program, the candidate agrees to:

Attend all classes and do such out-of-class work as required. If a candidate is unable to attend a particular class section, he/she agrees to notify the instructor or counselor in advance and agrees to perform make-up work, as required, Each candidate will be limited to two (2) no-shows per calendar year.
Achieve a total grade or evaluation equivalent of 75% or greater on all class work.
Remain in good standing for all financial obligations due The Local for the duration of his/her apprenticeship.
Attend a minimum of six (6) general membership meetings of The Local in the third year of membership. (Apprentices attend as non-voting members.)
Pay a total instruction fee of $600.00 over the 3-year apprenticeship, in annual installments of $200.00. Such fees shall be used by The Local for payment of instructors and other costs directly connected to the Appentice Program. Such fees shall not be changed during the length of the candidate's apprenticeship.
Remain active on the Work List, either by accepting work calls as dispatched, or by holding a job in the trade and within jurisdiction of The Local. Prior to elevation to journeyman, the candidate must complete 1500 hours in the previous 3 years.
Agrees to be bound by all aspects of the previously signed Permit Agreement.
Agrees to be ruled in all matters relating to this agreement by The Local and agrees not to seek restitution by legal action without first seeking settlement from within The Local.

I, the undersigned, understand and acknowledge that failure to meet the aforementioned obligations will result in my removal from Local 354's Apprentice Program.

Signed __________________________________________

PRINT Full Name ________________________________

Date _________________

Revised December 29, 2002

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