Introduction to the Union

Introduction to the Union

Length : 7.5 hours

ABOUT

This course is mandatory for all new members. It introduces them to the industry, the environment in which they will be working and their rights and obligations on the job. Other topics that this course covers include the role and importance of the union and the services that it provides. This course also covers practical subjects that members need to know about to do their jobs, such as how to read a time sheet and understand a contract.

Like the history of audiovisual technicians in Quebec, the history of our union, AQTIS 514 IATSE is grounded in solidarity—a story written by our members, who feel so much passion about their work.

This one-day training course consists of group discussions, case studies and workshops and covers the following subjects.

  • The importance of a union for audiovisual technicians in an industry that hires on a freelance basis
  • We will discuss labour law, management rights with regard to unionization, and the importance of the union in defending the interests of a group of workers.
  • The values of AQTIS 514 IATSE: democracy, solidarity and equity, professionalism, respect and empathy.
  • Present the legal context in which these professions are practiced.
  • Explore the services that the union offers and learn how you can participate in union life.
  • Raise course participants’ awareness of health and safety issues in the industry.
  • Familiarize course participants with the collective agreements.
  • Facilitate course participants’ entry into the audiovisual technicians’ professions.

Target professions

Mandatory course to be recognized as a member of any profession covered by AQTIS 514 IATSE.

You must have taken this course to obtain the certificate of participation.

Read the membership criteria

Training team

  • Claude Collins’ career in editing goes back nearly 25 years. He has worked on documentary series, magazine shows, reality shows, commercials, music videos and short films, as well as on many public affairs and children’s programs. He also has strong experience in motion capture. Claude is Vice-President, Postproduction at AQTIS 514 IATSE and one of  the driving forces behind the editors’ festival ”Les monteurs à l'affiche”.

  • Anne-Marie Gagnon has been working in the television and film industry for over 20 years as an assistant director, researcher, coordinator and more recently as a designer and director. She graduated from La Cité  in television production and obtained her first position in the industry as an equipment coordinator in a film equipment rental company. In 2008, she dived into the world of freelance work on various projects: film, heavy series, documentary, magazine, docufiction, youth, reality TV, etc.

  • Jacinthe Robillard has been working for nearly 20 years for various production companies that broadcast on Télé-Québec and Radio-Canada, as well as on other local, national and international channels. As a set director, her field of expertise is mainly in the multi-camera studio: music shows, magazines, game shows, variety shows, comedy shows, cooking shows and talk shows. She has been involved in programs such as Dans les Médias, Culturama, Prières de ne pas envoyer de fleurs, Ça fait la job, Mix sonore, Fête nationale de Laval and Canada Day in Ottawa. A graduate of UQAM in communications and Concordia University in visual arts, she teaches about the life in a television studio. She currently lives in Montreal where she is a lecturer at the École des Médias de l'UQAM while continuing to work in variety shows, on various stages and television sets.

  • Catherine Tessier has been climbing the ranks within the Camera department for 25 years. She has now held the position of first camera assistant for 13 years. In addition to her passion for her work, in 2012, she got involved in the union. Since then, her dedication has continued to grow. She currently holds a seat on the executive committee and played an active role in negotiating collective agreements in 2019. Furthermore, she was the only woman to have a seat at the discussion table during the merger of the three entities. Additionally, she actively participates in the establishment of committees for Green Sets and Women in Industry all while representing the Camera department since 2013.

  • Patrick Aubert studied film at Concordia University. Since graduating, he has worked on more than 150 productions as a script editor, whether on feature films, TV series, short films, web series or commercials. Passionate about film and teaching, he has been involved as a trainer for various institutions, including INIS, AQTIS 514 IATSE, Concordia University and several CEGEPs. Over the years, Patrick has also been involved as a screenwriter and director, having created some fifteen short films in collaboration with Kino Montreal. His films (VANILLE, LE PIMENT, UNE PENSÉE POUR ROBERT, JACQUELINE ULTIMATUM and ROBERT & LA ROUSSE) have been presented in more than 125 Quebec and international festivals, and have won several awards.

  • Dominic Pilon is currently AQTIS 514 IATSE's Vice-President of Television and Documentary.  As a member of the board of directors, he was aprt of the Association des professionnels de la vidéo du Québec (APVQ), one of the organizations that later became AQTIS.  More recently, it is as president of AQTIS that he participated in the merger of AQTIS - IATSE 514 and IATSE 667. His training in ATM at the Cégep de Jonquière led him to work for 27 years as a technician on television sets and in the world of sports, essentially as an image controller (CCU). 

Prerequisites

None

Registration

Please enter your name on the call-back list at the bottom of the page to be notified of the next dates that come open for registrations.

When a date opens up, the Professional Training Team will contact you to inform you of the registration procedures and to accept your payment, which will let them confirm your registration.

The number of participants allowed in each course is limited. On the day of the course, we will not admit any participants who have not paid for it in advance.

Course contents

Part 1  Unions: What are they good for?

1.1 The role of the union

1.2 The values that drive us

1.3 At the heart of the cultural ecosystem

 

Part 2  Legal context

2.1 Status of the Artist Act (SAA)

2.2 AQTIS 514 IATSE jurisdiction

2.3 Collective agreements

 

Part 3  Union life

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Pay slip

3.3 Roles and services within the union

3.3.1 Overview of services offered

  • 3.3.1a Social safety net
  • 3.3.1b Labour relations
  • 3.3.1c Member services
  • 3.3.1d Communications
  • 3.3.1e Professional training
  • 3.3.1f Administration and finance

3.4 An organization at the service of its members

3.5 Democratic life and representation

  • 3.5.1 Democratic functioning
  • 3.5.2 A word about the Vice-Presidents
  • 3.5.3 AQTIS 514 IATSE committees


Part 4  Occupational health and safety

4.1 Role of the union in occupational health and safety

4.2 Harassment


Part 5  Labour relations

5.1 A word about the labour-relations advisors

5.2 Minimum hiring conditions and collective agreements (AQTIS and IATSE)

  • 5.2.1 Collective agreements

5.3 Disputes

Part 6  Working

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Contract

6.3 Call sheets

  • 6.3.1 How to read a call sheet

6.4 Time sheets

6.5 Tax statuses

6.6 Attitude at work

6.7 Finding work as a freelancer


Part 7  Conclusion

Evaluation of the course

 

Appendix 1

L’AQTIS 514 IATSE, une histoire de solidarité

Appendix 2

Prevention – Musculoskeletal injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries on the job

Appendix 3

Toolkit

 

UPCOMING DATES



2024

March 9, 15, 21 or 29
April 3, 9, 20, 23 or 30
May 11, 17, 25 or 29
June 4, 15 or 26
July 6 or 16
August 16 or 29
September 7, 17 or 28
October 8, 19 or 30
November 9, 21 or 30
December 6 or 14


SCHEDULE
8.30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

DURATION
7,5 h

LOCATION
AQTIS 514 IATSE
1001, boulevard de Maisonneuve Est, bureau 900, Montréal (Québec) H2L 4P9

COURSE FEES
100$ + taxes

FREQUENCY
Approx. three time a month

NUMBER OF PLACES
30

Questions ?

Please contact our Professional Training Team

formations@aqtis514iatse.com 514 844-2113
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