International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, its Territories and Canada began in 1893, when show business was confined almost entirely to the stage. The union has become well known within the entertainment business throughout North America as the IATSE or the IA. Motion pictures became an industry in the first decade of the 20th century and, beginning in 1908, film projectionists across the continent gained IATSE charters. During the 1920s the IATSE became the representative for technicians within the Hollywood studio system and the network of film exchanges throughout the United States and Canada. Today there are 12,000 members within 450 Locals, representing a complete coverage of the crafts of stage, screen and television.

The IATSE Local 295 in Regina and Local 300 in Saskatoon were granted IATSE individual charters on July 10, 1913, for stage workers and film projectionists, with sixteen names appearing on the Saskatoon charter. Stage-work was the predominant craft in Saskatchewan into the 1930s, when motion pictures became a more accessible and popular form of entertainment. Since the 1960s, Saskatoon Local 300 has been representing film production technicians. The Local maintains a membership of around 100, covering thirty craft departments in the film, stage, and projection areas of work.

Greg McKinnon