The Power of the Grievance: Protecting Local 63’s Jurisdiction and Respect

In IATSE Local 63, our work is more than a job it’s a craft, a legacy, and a Brotherhood/Sisterhood/ Kinship / Fellowship  built over generations of hard-working stagehands, technicians, and craftspeople. Every cable we lay, every light we hang, every set we build that’s our jurisdiction. It’s what defines us, and it’s what keeps our members working with dignity and fairness under the collective agreement we fought to secure.

That’s why filing grievances isn’t optional it’s essential. It’s how we hold employers accountable, protect the scope of our work, and ensure that every Local 63 member, past and present, continues to be respected on the job.

Why Filing a Grievance Matters

A grievance isn’t just a complaint it’s a declaration that the Collective Agreement means something. Every clause, every line, was negotiated by our union to protect our members’ wages, safety, and jurisdiction. When an employer steps outside those boundaries, whether by assigning our work to non-union individuals, bypassing our hiring hall, or violating contract terms, it’s not just a technical issue. It’s an attack on the respect Local 63 has earned and rightfully deserves. 

When we file a grievance, we’re not being difficult. We’re standing up and saying, You will honor the agreement you signed.

Protecting Our Jurisdiction

Our jurisdiction is the very heart of Local 63. It defines who we are and what work belongs to us. It’s taken decades of negotiations, strikes, and solidarity to secure, and it can slip away if we don’t defend it.

Every time an Employer violates the Collective Agreement, by bringing in non-union personnel are brought in to perform work that belongs to Local 63, even for a few hours, our jurisdiction weakens. And when that goes unchallenged, it becomes the new normal. Employers will always test limits; it’s up to us to make sure those limits hold.

That’s where the grievance process becomes our shield. It’s not just paperwork it’s the mechanism that preserves our jurisdiction, our jobs, and our identity as skilled professionals under IATSE.

Respect Isn’t Given, It’s Enforced

Respect in this industry doesn’t come automatically. It’s earned through the professionalism, reliability, and unity of Local 63 members and it’s maintained through our willingness to enforce the contract.

When employers see that Local 63 is prepared to file grievances consistently and professionally, they learn something important: that this local takes its agreement seriously. That sends a powerful message; you don’t cross this union, because this union stands together.

The strength of Local 63 isn’t measured by how quiet we stay. It’s measured by how firmly we act when our rights are challenged.

It’s Not About Conflict It’s About Accountability

Sometimes members hesitate to report  violations because they don’t want to create tension. But the grievance process isn’t about starting a fight, it’s about ensuring fairness and consistency. It’s the official, structured way to resolve issues under the collective agreement.

When we file a grievance, we’re not just protecting you,  we’re protecting every Local 63 member who walks into that venue after you, for generations. You’re ensuring that the work remains ours, and that management understands we expect professionalism, not exploitation.

Solidarity Means Taking Action

Solidarity isn’t just a slogan. It’s what happens when every member, from the newest permit to the most senior journeyman, stands up and defends the agreement. Every grievance filed is a statement of unity proof that Local 63 is watching, active, and unafraid to stand tall for what’s right.

If we don’t enforce our contract, we lose the very foundation that makes a union strong. But when we do, we gain power, respect, and leverage at every bargaining table and on every call sheet.

For IATSE Local 63, the grievance process isn’t a burden it’s our strength. It’s how we make sure employers play by the rules, how we protect the jurisdiction we’ve built, and how we keep respect for our members alive and well.

So if you see something that’s not right, don’t ignore it. Don’t hope it goes away. Report to your Steward! Call the Union! File the grievance!

Because every time you do, you’re standing up for Local 63, for your brothers and sisters, and for the generations who will follow in our footsteps.

When we defend our jurisdiction, we defend our pride. And when Local 63 stands together nobody stands taller.

In Solidarity,

B Mann

VP IATSE 63