IATSE Local 891 Union Office
IATSE Local 891 (the “Union”) is committed to the growth and development of the film and television industry in British Columbia, marketing our province as a premiere filming destination and to improving the lives of its members. Social and traditional media are tools that can assist us in furthering these goal and can support the Union’s missions. Accordingly, the Union encourages all active and inactive members (“IATSE Members”) to use various forms of social and traditional media to share useful and relevant information, to promote solidarity, and to engage in respectful discussion and debate. Scope and Definitions: The scope of this policy includes but is not limited to any and all traditional newspapers, TV and Radio media platforms. Furthermore, the policy includes but is not limited to any internet based or app-based social media platforms, as well as any chat group platforms. Examples of social media platforms include, but are not limited to Facebook, Youtube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat, Pinterest, Reddit, Linkedin, Twitter, Meta Messager, Telegram, Quora, Medium, WeChat, Viber, Kik, Signal.
1. The Union encourages appropriate and respectful exchange of Union/work related matters online or via traditional media.
2. IATSE Members are, at all times, responsible for the content they post online as well statements they made to and broadcast from media.
3. IATSE Members must not disclose confidential Union matters or business online or elsewhere. This includes, but is not limited to, collective bargaining (where that information has not been made public), grievances, internal discipline matters, and anything discussed at a Union meeting confidential meeting or a committee meeting.
4. IATSE Members must not, without express permission, make statements online or elsewhere that claim or imply they speak on behalf of the Union. If a statement could be interpreted as having been made on behalf of the Union, the IATSE Member must include a disclaimer to the effect that the views expressed are the IATSE Member’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Union. A failure to include such a disclaimer could result in discipline.
5. IATSE Members must not post or broadcast harassing, bullying, disparaging, discriminating or derogatory comments about other IATSE Members, Union staff, employees of any employer, or any other person connected to the workplace.
6. IATSE Members must not post or broadcast statements or remarks which could reasonably be inferred as racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise discriminatory in any forum.
7. IATSE Members must not impersonate others online or elsewhere, or post or broadcast words, images or other proprietary content to which they are not permitted to use.
8. IATSE Members are subject to community guidelines when engaging in Union moderated forums. The Union retains the sole discretion to assess and remove (without notice) content which infringes those guidelines, which includes but is not necessarily limited to material that:
• is illegal or promotes, encourages or suggests illegal activity;
• is threatening, or violent or promotes violence;
• is obscene, profane, or vulgar;
• is defamatory or libelous;
• is bigoted, hateful, insensitive, or intended to embarrass others;
• abuses or infringes intellectual property rights or appears to do so;
• includes solicitations, advertising, self-promotion, “trolling,”
spam or what appears to be spam;
• includes confidential internal matters that would be more
appropriately discussed in other correspondence or meetings;
• attacks unions, individuals, companies or affiliated organizations;
• engages in impersonation; or
• represents unauthorized communication on the Union’s behalf. By participating in Union moderated forums, IATSE Members understand they are subject to community guidelines at the discretion of the Union.
9. The Union may investigate alleged breaches of this policy. IATSE Members who breach this policy may be subject to Union discipline in accordance with the Union’s Bylaws. Reminder:
Things IATSE Members say or do online can damage reputations: yours, your Union’s, your Employer’s, the Industry, or others. You are responsible for your online actions. If your actions are inappropriate or unlawful and related to your Union membership or industry employment, you may be disciplined. Both online and offline, Members must not act in a manner online which could form the basis of any charge set out in Article 9 of the Bylaws. This includes but is not necessarily limited to:
a. Online behavior which is a violation of any provision of the
constitution or any rule or regulation promulgated by the
General Executive Board, Executive Committee or International. b. Libeling, slandering, or in any other manner maligning fellow
IATSE Members, officers or other Union staff members;
c. Engaging in abusive or harassing behavior of fellow IATSE
Members, officers or other Union staff members; or,
d. Engaging in any activities which tend to bring the Union, IATSE
Members or officers, into disrepute, or which tend to reflect
upon the Union’s good name, standing, and reputation.
