The Steward on the job is your direct contact person.  They are the liaison between the facility and/or employer entity / tour personnel and us, the stagehands.  They are there to support you throughout the call.

Beginning: You must check in with the Steward before the start of your call.  They are usually with a clipboard and looking for you to check in with them.  You might be assigned a department if you weren’t already designated one on Call Steward.  Basic information may be shared at this time about the scope of the job.  If you have any issues such as injury, needing to navigate the building, or how to complete a task, the Steward is your go-to person.

During: 15-minute paid breaks will be given every 2 to 2.5 hours of work depending on the production schedule. Unpaid Meal breaks last 1 hour. Paid meal breaks last 30 minutes. One or the other will be given every 4 to 5 hours depending on the production schedule. The IATSE Local 18 Steward will call all breaks and meal times. Do not take a break or go to a meal without authorization from your Steward. 

End: You may not leave until the Steward dismisses you.  If the road person you are working with says you are all done, you must find your Steward, relay that information, and then get instruction of what to do next.  All end times are subject to change.  Our calls are always a 4 hour minimum, but we work until the job is done.  Sometimes the crew of people is cut down where some are asked to stay while others are not.  This is at the discretion of the Steward and generally follows seniority within the union, starting with members.  You must stay at work until dismissed by the Steward.

The main role of the Steward is to:

   – monitor working conditions

   – report all workplace issues to the union

   – enforce union policies