IATSE Local 13, Minneapolis / St Paul Stagehands

Assistant Business Agent

Based in Minneapolis, MN

 

Job Title: Assistant Business Agent
Reports to: Business Agent
Location: IATSE Local 13 Office, Minneapolis, MN
Status: Full-Time, non-exempt, 35 hours per week
Compensation: $60,000 – $95,000 annually
Benefits: 4 weeks’ paid vacation, 9 paid holidays, 10% employer-paid contribution to the IATSE National Benefits Fund for health insurance, 6% employer-paid retirement contributions.

Organization Description
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada (IATSE) – Local 13 is a Stage Employee Union representing close to 1,000 workers in the live entertainment industry. Local 13’s jurisdiction includes all forms of live entertainment ranging from Broadway plays to concerts to trade shows in the Eau Claire, Minneapolis, Rochester, St. Cloud, and St. Paul areas. Local 13 has more than 25 collective bargaining agreements with employers including the Children's Theatre Company, the Fitzgerald Theater, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, the Orpheum, State, and Pantages Theaters, US Bank Stadium, Target Center, Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul RiverCentre, the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Mayo Civic Center, Pablo Center, Northrop Auditorium, the MN State Fair, and more. Local 13 operates a dispatching office that dispatches 1,000 to 8,000 shifts per month to signatory employers.

The IATSE recognizes that equal rights are the cornerstone of the labor movement. Unions were founded on the principle that all people are equal and all people are deserving of respect and fair treatment. Equality issues run through all areas of trade union activities – from health and safety to wage negotiations.

The IATSE is committed to equality of opportunity and to eliminating all forms of discrimination. We are opposed to unlawful and unfair discrimination and oppression on the grounds of gender (including transgender people), relationship or marital status, race or ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, age, language, background, political or religious beliefs, physical appearance, pregnancy or responsibility for dependents.

We believe that equality for all is a basic human right and we actively oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination. IATSE leaders and members must be vigilant in working, both with each other and with our employers, to promote an equal and welcoming environment for all people, through our actions, attitudes, and language. The IATSE celebrates the diversity of society and is striving to promote and reflect that diversity within this organization.

Position Summary
The Assistant Business Agent supports IATSE Local 13 in protecting and advancing the rights, wages, and working conditions of its members. This position focuses on collective bargaining, contract administration, and discipline and grievance handling while providing strategic and administrative support to the Business Agent.

This position also assists the Business Agent to ensure the terms and conditions of IATSE Local 13’s collective bargaining agreements are followed, mediates disputes, and manages the signature process for completed agreements. This position also assists with and promotes involvement in the political process at the local, state and national level.

The ideal candidate is an articulate communicator, a meticulous document manager, a committed union advocate who thrives in high-stakes negotiation environments, and uses appropriate discretion in confidential situations.

Key Responsibilities
Contract Negotiations

• Prepare bargaining proposals based on Bargaining Unit priorities.
• Draft, edit, and update bargaining proposals.
• Research and incorporate industry standards, legal updates, and membership priorities into proposals.
• Attend and actively participate in all contract negotiations.
• Lead contract negotiations in the absence of the Business Agent.
• Maintain and update contract documents to track proposals from both the union and the employer.
• Present at contract ratification meetings.
• Work with the employer to prepare final contract documents.

Grievance, Discipline, and Dispute Resolution

• In conjunction with the Business Agent ensure workers receive fair treatment in employer discipline actions.
• In conjunction with the Business Agent investigate and process contract grievances including coordination with legal counsel and IATSE International Representatives.
• Manage grievance settlement documentation.
• Use discretion in confidential situations.

Union Representation & Employer Relations

• Participate in meetings with employers outside of negotiations to address operational, contractual, handbook, or policy issues.
• Support the Business Agent in interpreting and enforcing the Constitution, Bylaws, Dispatching Rules, and Collective Bargaining Agreements.
• Maintain professional relationships that promote peaceful and harmonious labor-management relations.
• In the absence of the Business Agent, attend labor management committee meetings and take notes. 

Document & Data Management

• Organize and maintain digital and physical negotiation and contract files.
• Ensure accurate records of proposals, agreements, and meeting notes are kept.
• Prepare and submit monthly internal reports.

Dispatching Office

• Maintain a thorough understanding of IATSE Local 13’s Dispatching Rules and dispatching provisions of collective bargaining agreements.
• Support the dispatching office in accordance with the Dispatching Rules and collective bargaining agreements.
• Support the Business Agent in providing daily supervision of the dispatching office staff.
• Troubleshoot staffing challenges with employers.

Qualifications

• Minimum of two years’ experience in labor relations, contract negotiations, or related field; union-side experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of collective bargaining agreements, Federal, State and Local labor law and practices as well as grievance procedures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft precise contract language.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, DocuSign, Adobe Suite, FileMaker and collaborative editing tools.
• Ability to troubleshoot basic office technology issues.
• Commitment to the principles of trade unionism and to the objectives of IATSE Local 13.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to adapt to changing laws, regulations, and working conditions including Local 13’s Dispatching Rules.
• Ability to participate in ongoing training to upgrade required skills.

Working Conditions

• Primary work performed at the Local 13 office with frequent offsite meetings.
• Work in a collaborative office with Office Manager, Business Agent, Dispatchers and the IATSE Local 13 Executive board. 
• Flexible schedule to attend evening or weekend meetings as negotiations demand.
• Frequent local travel to meet with employers, attend conferences, or represent Local 13, occasional national travel.

How to Apply
Email: ApplyHere@IATSE13.org