WHO’S WHO ENTERTAINMENT

HOLLYWOOD UNIONS

Union Leaders

Tom Short

International President of IATSE

Union member since 1968 Became IATSE international vice president in 1988, following in footsteps of his father Elected international president in 1994 Restructured the union into five departments… Credited with boosting membership to more than 103,000 from 65,000 during tenure Helped end long-standing fued with Teamsters.

Leo Geffner

IATSE Counsel, West Coast

Was West Coast general counsel for the Screen Actors Guild for nearly two decades Has served as counsel to IATSE since 1974 Represented SAG in a U.S. Supreme Court case in which the union won the right to collect fees from non-union workers covered by its collective bargaining agreements Member of Burbank law firm Geffner & Bush, which also represents the Directors Guild of America.

Joseph Aredas

International Representative In Charge of the West Coast

Entered industry in 1967 as a cinetechnician at MGM Became a business representative for sound and cinetechnicians in 1980 Joined labor relations department at Consolidated Film Industries, a local film processing laboratory, in 1987 Member of the California Film Commission Board member of the Motion Picture & Television Fund, which provides health and human services in entertainment industry.

Bruce Doering

National Executive Director, International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600

First became involved in unions while working in a Chicago steel mill Started at the cinematographers local as the business representative in 1985 Became executive director in 1991 Helped consolidate all cinematographers, creating IATSE’s first national local ICM represents 5,500 camera operators, still photographers and others throughout the U.S.

Thom Davis

Business Representative, Motion Picture Studio Grips/Crafts Services, Local 80

Runs local representing about 2,700 below-the-line workers Serves as 11th vice president of IATSE A local AFL-CIO vice president Long-time labor activist who has worked with the United Farm Workers Lobbied for the return of an eight-hour workday in California Spent nearly 20 years working as a grip.

Ron Kutak

Executive Director, Motion Pictures Editors Guild, Local 700

Heads one of the largest IATSE locals, representing more than 6,000 members Serves as its chief negotiator Takes part in IATSE’s Basic Agreement negotiations Member of the Motion Picture Industry Pension & Health Plan’s Board of Trustees Involved in the merger of the story analysts’ local into the editors’ locals Has been working for Local 700 for more than two decades.