AN INTRODUCTION TO LOCAL 794

Our Local represents all of the Television Broadcasting Studio Employees who work at WNYW Channel 5, WWOR Channel 9, Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera (the PBS “Live From Lincoln Center” and “Live From The Met” series) and 11 Penn TV.  We are comprised of In House Technicians, Electronic News Gathering (ENG) & Production Field Technicians, and Graphic Artists.

The Union negotiates with the employers on behalf of all the Technicians for wages, benefits and working conditions.

Local 794 was formed in 1945.  It originally represented technicians at WABD, operated by the Dumont Labs, later to become WNEW under Metromedia, then WNYW under Fox.  The Local’s jurisdiction expanded in 1976 to include Electronic News Gathering (ENG) crews and in 1986 to include Graphic Artists.  Starting in 1989, Fox Television was granted the right to use Freelance employees.  In 2003, NABET Local 209 (WWOR technicians) was merged into this Local.  Since August, 2002, we have also represented Studio Technicians at 11 Penn Plaza.

The Local has about 160 members who are full-time employees and another 80-90 who work as daily employees.

Our Contract with Fox Television Stations, Inc., provides that all employees (Staff and Daily) who do the technical work covered by the Contract, must pay Dues to Local 794.  Our Dues are currently 3½% of your gross pay.

An application to join Local 794, I.A.T.S.E. will be sent to a Freelance Technician 30 days after the start of employment.  The completed application should be returned to Local 794 as soon as possible.  It should be signed and dated.

Local 794’s Initiation Fee is $2,500.00.  As a convenience, when you begin work for Fox TV you sign an Authorization form allowing 10% of your pay to be deducted.  Of this 10%, 9% goes toward payment of your Initiation Fee and the remaining 1% goes toward payment of your Union Membership Dues.

 

After your Initiation Fee is paid, your 3½% Union Dues is broken up as follows:
1% is used for Union operating expenses and the remaining 2½% is put into a Strike Fund under your name.  The Strike Fund is returned to each member upon ratification of the next Contract (except in the unlikely case of a strike, then the money will be used to support the member during the strike). 

Minimum quarterly dues are $60.00.  When the withholding from your paycheck does not meet the minimum, you will receive a bill from Local 794 with your dues obligation.  You are responsible for meeting your dues obligation every quarter. 

Our contract with Fox Television provides that contributions be made for all Daily employees to the IATSE National Benefits Funds for each day you work.  Currently, $25.50 per day goes into Health and Welfare Plan C and $16.20 per day goes into the Annuity Fund.  For each month’s work, those contributions are sent about the middle of the following month.  About a month after that you will receive an enrollment packet if you have accumulated at least $440 in credits in the H+W Fund.  You will have a month from then to select the coverage level you want and make any additional payment needed to meet the premium.  Coverage begins the following month.  That is to say, there will be three months from the end of the month in which you work and accumulate enough credits until coverage begins.

You must complete a census card so that the Fund knows who you are and is able to contact you when you are eligible to enroll for benefits.  Information about the Funds can be found on the Internet at www.iatsenbf.org.

 

It is important that you keep your current address and phone number on file with Local 794.  We want to be able to serve your needs and make you aware of Union matters that affect you.  Please feel free to speak to any of your Union representatives if you have a question or problem.