[CALL TO ORDER ]
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UH, WELCOME TO THE, UH, AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION, JUNE 10TH MEETING, AND I WANNA OFFICIALLY BRING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
HELLO? UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION SCHEDULED FOR TODAY? AS THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION OPPORTUNITIES TODAY, WE'RE GONNA
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
MOVE RIGHT ON TO ITEM NUMBER ONE.UH, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR MAY.
MAY 13TH, UH, MEETING, UH, I HOPE EVERYBODY'S HAD A SHOT AT TAKING A LOOK AT THESE.
IT WAS A PRETTY COMPACT MEETING.
SO, I'LL WAIT FOR A MOMENT TO SEE IF I CAN RECEIVE.
OH, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I HAVE ONE, UH, ONE OFFER TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
FROM APPROVE FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER GOMEZ AND COMMISSIONER MASTERS.
CAN I, UH, SHOW OF HANDS OF ANY DISCUSSION OR JUST WE APPROVE? ALL IN A FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES IS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
DO WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING? UH, OR I'M SORRY WE DON'T HAVE STAFF BRIEFING ON, I WAS LOOKING AT LAST, AT THE MEETING MINUTES.
[2. Presentation by International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local No. 205, regarding an overview of the organization and its role in the tourism industry. Presentation by Nikki Combs, Business Agent. ]
STRAIGHT ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS FOR TODAY.UM, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, UH, BY THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES, UH, LOCAL NUMBER 2 0 5.
AND, AND IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? AND, UH, IT'S REGARDING THEIR ORGANIZATION.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING FEEDBACK.
WE HAVE BOTH, UH, TWO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING TODAY.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE WE'VE HAD A BRIEFING AND IT'S, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT, UH, PREVIOUSLY WE, UH, HAD, UH, REPRESENTATION AS OUR CHAIR USED TO BE RACHEL MCGEE.
WHO NOW, YOU, YOU, ARE YOU GOING BY MCGEE STILL OR HAVE YOU SW YOU ARE.
I SEE YOU'RE BOTH SITTING THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE PLAYING A TAG TEAM, BUT, UH, UH, WE'RE OPEN IF, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO COLLABORATE, WE'RE THERE.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PRESENTATION.
WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU HAVING US, UH, BE A PART OF THIS TODAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU.
UH, RACHEL MCGEE'S BEEN A GREAT SUPPORT AND COLLABORATOR ON THIS PRESENTATION TODAY.
SO SHE'S GONNA DO THE SLIDES AND I'M GONNA DO THE TALKING, BUT SHE MIGHT POKE ME TO REMIND ME OF SOMETHING.
SO, UH, OUR FIRST QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS LOCAL 2 0 5? WHAT DO WE DO AND WHO ARE WE? UM, THE I-E-T-S-E LOCAL 2 0 5 IS THE AUSTIN AREA CHAPTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES, I-A-T-S-E, REPRESENTING THE SKILLED PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE LIVE EVENTS POSSIBLE.
LOCAL 2 0 5 HAS SERVED CENTRAL TEXAS SINCE 1911.
OUR MEMBERS LOCAL 2 0 5, REPRESENT A RANGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND INVENT, UH, PRODUCTION PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING STAGE HANDS, LIGHTING AND SOUND TECHNICIANS, RIGGERS, SCENIC CARPENTERS, PROPS AND WARDROBE PERSONNEL, HAIR AND MAKEUP SPECIALISTS, PROJECTIONISTS AUDIO, VISUAL TECHNICIANS, CAMERA OPERATORS, AND DECORATORS.
OUR MEMBER SUPPORTS CONCERTS, THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, MUSIC FESTIVALS, CONVENTIONS, TRADE SHOWS, CORPORATE EVENTS, AND OTHER LIVE PRODUCTIONS THROUGHOUT THE AUSTIN AREA.
WHAT WE DO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, WE NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS THAT PROMOTE FAIR WAGES, BENEFITS, WORKPLACE SAFETY, AND STRONG WORKING CONDITIONS FOR ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.
WE ADVOCATE FOR OUR MEMBERS IN WORKPLACE MATTERS.
ENFORCE UNION AGREEMENTS AND PROTECT WORKERS' RIGHTS, HIRING AND REFERRALS.
LOCAL 2 0 5 OPERATES A REFERRAL SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS QUALIFIED WORKERS WITH EMPLOYERS SEEKING EXPERIENCED EVENT PRODUCTION CREWS.
MANY WORKERS BEGIN THROUGH OUR REFERRAL PROCESS BEFORE PURSUING FULL UNION MEMBERSHIP TRAINING AND EDUCATION.
WE PROVIDE SAFETY TRAINING, INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND CAREER PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS AND EMERGING PROFESSIONALS INTERESTED IN LIVE
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ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION JURISDICTION.LOCAL 2 0 5 PRIMARILY COVERS LIVE EVENT ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENT PRODUCTION WORK IN THE AUSTIN AREA, INCLUDING THEATERS, CONCERT VENUES, FESTIVALS, CONVENTIONS, AND TRADE SHOWS.
FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION IN TEXAS IS GENERALLY REPRESENTED BY I-A-T-S-E, LOCAL 4 84 MEMBERSHIP.
INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN JOINING LOCAL 2 0 5 CAN BEGIN BY REGISTERING WITH OUR REFERRAL HALL AND WORKING ELIGIBLE CALLS.
MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES A FORMAL APPLICATION PROCESS AND UNION EDUCATION PROGRAM.
NOW, AUSTIN'S EVENTS INDUSTRY, THE UNION'S POINT OF VIEW.
THE LIVE EVENTS INDUSTRY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY.
LOCAL 2 0 5 IS COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING A SKILLED WORKFORCE, PROTECTING INDUSTRY STANDARDS, AND ENSURING THAT AUSTIN HAS THE EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS NEEDED TO SUPPORT WORLD-CLASS EVENTS SAFELY AND SUCCESSFULLY.
OUR ONGOING CONCERN FOR OUR UNION IS THE INCREASED, OR THAT'S ONE OUTGOING CONCERN.
INCREASED WORK WORKERS CLASSIFIED AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, 10 99 RATHER THAN EMPLOYEES.
W2 MISCLASSIFICATION CAN REDUCE LABOR COSTS FOR EMPLOYERS BY AVOIDING PAYROLL TAXES, WORKERS COMPENSATION, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS.
THIS CREATES AN UNFAIR COMPETITION FOR EMPLOYERS WHO PROPERLY CLASSIFY WORKERS AND IT CAN UNDERMINE INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR WORKERS 10 99.
CLASSIFICATION OFTEN MEANS HIGHER TAX BURDENS, FEWER PROTECTIONS, NO EMPLOYER PROVIDED BENEFITS AND INCREASED FINANCIAL RISK.
EDUCATING WORKERS ABOUT THESE DIFFERENCES REMAINS AN IMPORTANT PART OF LOCAL TWO OH FIVE'S ADVOCACY EFFORTS.
OUR RECOVERY SINCE 2020, THE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCED A STRONG RECOVERY FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC.
OUR DATA SHOWS WE'RE STEADILY RETURNING THROUGH 2022, PEAKING IN 2023 AS PREVIOUSLY CANCELED EVENTS SQUEEZED INTO EXISTING CALENDARS, AND THEN LEVELING OFF TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS IN 2024 AND 2025.
CURRENT STAFFING, EMPLOYEE AVAILABILITY VERSUS WORK OPPORTUNITIES.
SINCE THE CLOSURE OF AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER, OUR LABOR DISPATCH DATA CLEARLY SHOWS THE BENCH IS SHRINKING IN REAL TIME.
THEY RELOCATE, TAKE STAFF JOBS OR LEAVE THE TRADE.
ARE THERE STRATEGIES IN PLACE TO MITIGATE THE PARAMOUNT AND CONVENTION CENTER CLOSURES? AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THE AUSTIN THEATER ALLIANCE AND CITY OF AUSTIN, WHICH EMPLOYS CONVENTION CENTER'S FACILITY STAFFS, ARE THE ONLY EMPLOYERS MITIGATING THE LOSS OF WORK FOR AFFECTED WORKERS.
IMPACT OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER CLOSURE, THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER CLOSED IN APRIL OF 2025 FOR A MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND IS EXPECTED TO REOPEN IN 2029 WITH SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED EVENT SPACE FOR LOCAL 2 0 5 MEMBERS.
THE CLOSURE HAS CREATED SEVERAL CHALLENGES.
LOSS OF STEADY CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW WORK, INCREASED FINANCIAL PRESSURE FROM AUSTIN'S RISING COST OF LIVING, GREATER VOLATILITY AND AVAILABLE WORK OPPORTUNITIES.
CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW EVENTS HISTORICALLY GENERATED SUBSTANTIAL DEMAND FOR STAGE HANDS, RIGGERS, LIGHTING TECHNICIANS, AND AUDIO VISUAL CREWS.
WITH THE FACILITY CLOSED, MUCH OF THAT PREDICTABLE WORK HAS DISAPPEARED OR BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED.
CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO STRATEGY TO MITIGATE THESE EFFECTS BECAUSE THERE ARE NO RESOURCES OR ENTITIES THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THAT COULD MITIGATE SUDDEN AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE MARKET LIKE THESE.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.
FOR MANY WORKERS, THE SITUATION FEELS SIMILAR TO THE PANDEMIC ERA.
SOME HAVE LEFT AUSTIN SOUGHT WORK IN OTHER MARKETS, OR EXITED THE INDUSTRY ENTIRELY IN SEARCH OF MORE STABLE EMPLOYMENT.
WHILE SOME CONVENTION BUSINESS HAS SHIFTED TO HOTELS AND OTHER VENUES, THOSE FACILITIES GENERALLY RELY ON EXISTING STAFFING RESOURCES.
SO THEY HAVE NOT FULLY REPLACED THE LOST VOLUME OF WORK FOR UNION REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES.
LOCAL TWO OH FIVE'S DISPATCH DATA SHOWS AUSTIN'S ENTERTAINMENT LABOR ECONOMY RESTS ON THREE LEGS.
LEG ONE, THE CONVENTION CENTER COMPLEX, THE LOAD-BEARING LEG IN EVERY NORMAL YEAR FROM 2017 TO 2024.
THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER, ITS MEETING ROOMS, BALLROOMS,
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EXHIBIT HALLS, AND THE CITY'S PALMER EVENT CENTER TOGETHER ACCOUNTED FOR 39 TO 48% OF EVERY HOUR OF I-A-T-S-E 2 0 5 WORK IN THE CITY, 48% IN 2024.THIS IS CORPORATE CONVENTIONS, TRADE SHOWS, ASSOCIATED MEETINGS, AND FOR US SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST OFFICIAL HOME LEG TWO PERFORMING ARTS, THE LONG CENTER AUSTIN BALLET, UH, OPERA BALLET, AUSTIN, AUSTIN SYMPHONY, THE PARAMOUNT STATESIDE THEATERS, AUSTIN THEATER ALLIANCE.
WE ALSO HAVE WORKERS AT THE BASS CONCERT HALL, BUT WE DON'T DISPATCH THAT INFORMATION FOR TPA, UH, SO WE'RE NOT INCLUDING THAT INFORMATION HERE.
A STEADY 1,800 TO 2,500 CALLS A YEAR.
A CALL IS A SPECIFIC SHIFT OF WORK FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.
UM, SO AT THIS 1800 TO 2,500 CALLS A YEAR THAT WE SEE IN OUR PERFORMING ARTS, IT'S OUR PRESTIGIOUS BELOVED AND NOWHERE NEAR BIG ENOUGH TO CARRY THE LOCAL ALONE LEG.
THREE HOTEL, CORPORATE, AV AND ONE-OFFS.
JW MARRIOTT, HILTON, FAIRMONT MARRIOTT, DOWNTOWN BALLROOMS. FESTIVALS SUCH AS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, THE SATELLITE VENUES, UH, ACL AT ER AND CODA.
CORPORATE EVENTS SUCH AS DELL AND TESLA.
THIS WORK EXISTS BECAUSE THE CONVENTION CALENDAR BRINGS THESE EVENTS TO TOWN.
HOTELS HOST THE OVERFLOW MEETINGS OF THE CONVENTION CENTER WEEKS IN 2026, THE FIRST LEG IS GONE.
THE CONVENTION CENTER COMPLEXES SHARE OF I-A-T-S-E 2 0 5 WORK 48% IN 2024.
CLOSED APRIL 1ST NOW IS 2% THUS FAR IN 2026 AT PALMER EVENT CENTER.
FREEMAN AV, THE CONVENTION CONTRACTOR THAT ANCHORED THE LOCAL FOR A DECADE HAS FALLEN FROM 85% IN 2024 PACE.
NOW THE NUMBER ONE EMPLOYER OF I-A-T-S-E 2 0 5 LABOR THIS YEAR IS AUSTIN OPERA.
AT 742 CALLS, PERFORMING ARTS IS NOW CARRYING A LOCAL, THAT CONVENTION EVENT EMPLOYEE, THAT CONVENTION EVENT EMPLOYERS USED TO FEED IMPACT OF THE PARAMOUNT CLOSURE LED TO THE PARAMOUNT THEATER RENOVATION PRESENTS AN ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE WHILE THE AUSTIN THEATER ALLIANCE HAS COMMITTED TO KEEPING ITS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WORKING THROUGH OPERATIONS AT THE STATESIDE THEATER DURING THE RESTORATION PERIOD.
OVER HIRE AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEE, UH, WORKERS WHO REGULARLY SUPPORTED EVENTS AT THE PARAMOUNT WILL NEED TO SEEK ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE IN AUSTIN, TRAVEL FOR WORK OR PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE INDUSTRY DURING THESE RENOVATIONS.
THE EFFECTS OF THE SMALLER SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, WHEN ANALYZING OUR DISPATCH DATA, THE MARCH, 2026.
SO BY SOUTHWEST STEP DOWN IS A VISIBLE HEADLINE, BUT THE DATA CLEARLY SHOWS A LABOR REQUEST COLLAPSE BEGAN THE WEEK.
AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER BUILDING CLOSED APRIL 1ST, 2025, WHICH HAS RUN FOR 14 MONTHS.
THE SHOULDER SEASONS HAVE ALREADY HOLLOWED OUT MAY, JUNE.
THE EARLY SUMMER CONVENTION SURGE IS DOWN BY 82%, TWO YEARS RUNNING SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, 2025.
ACL SEASON PLUS FALL CONVENTIONS HELD ONLY 44% OF ITS 2024 LEVEL.
THE IMPACT OF THE CONVENTION CENTER'S CLOSURE IS NOT JUST MARCH.
THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN THE FESTIVAL PEAKS IS GONE FULL YEAR.
2025 FELL 41% EVEN THOUGH THE BUILDING WAS OPEN FOR THE FIRST QUARTER.
LOOKING FORWARD, THE WORK IS THIN.
AS OF JUNE NINE, ONLY 12 CALLS ARE BOOKED FOR JULY 13, FOR AUGUST, 2026.
AND IN A NORMAL YEAR, JULY AND AUGUST RUNS 300 TO 600 CALLS EACH.
USING OUR DATA, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER CLOSURE DIDN'T SHAVE THE SPRING AND FALL LABOR PEAKS IT REMOVED THE FLOOR EVERY SEASON SINCE APRIL, 2025 IS RUNNING 40 TO 85% BELOW THE LAST FULL CONVENTION CENTER YEAR.
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AN ESTIMATED $630,000 PER YEAR IN DIRECTED IN DIRECT MEMBER WAGES AND BENEFITS.LEAVING THE AUSTIN ECONOMY MARCH, 2026 ALONE IS 72,000 BELOW MARCH, 2025.
LOOKING FORWARD, THE REOPENING OF THE CONVENTION CENTER WILL PRESENT A SIGNIFICANT WORKFORCE CHALLENGE.
LARGE CONVENTIONS REQUIRE HUNDREDS OF SKILLED WORKERS ON SHORT NOTICE.
AFTER FOUR YEARS OF REDUCED CONVENTION ACTIVITY AND CONTINUING INCREASES IN THE COST OF LIVING, ATTRACTING AND RETAINING ENOUGH EXPERIENCED WORKERS TO SAFETY SAFELY SUPPORT THESE EVENTS MAY BE DIFFICULT.
THE NEW BUILDING WILL BE 70% LARGER, 620,000 SQUARE FEET.
IT WILL NEED MORE CREW THAN 2020 FOURS.
290 WORKING MEMBERS REOPENING INTO A DEPLETED WORKFORCE IS A STAFFING RISK TO A $1.6 BILLION PUBLIC INVESTMENT LOAD.
ENDS GET SLOWER, MORE EXPENSIVE EVENTS BOOK ELSEWHERE.
AND THE REBUILT CENTER UNDERPERFORMS ITS BUSINESS CASE IN EXACTLY THE YEARS IT MUST PROVE ITSELF.
LOCAL TWO OH FIVE'S STRATEGY WILL FOCUS ON PARTNERING WITH SISTER I-A-T-S-E LOCALS TO SUPPLEMENT THE WORKFORCE NEEDS WHEN NECESSARY.
CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS THAT MAKE CAREERS IN LIVE ENTERTAINMENT SUSTAINABLE IN AUSTIN.
AND EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES TO STRATEGIZE WITH THE CITY AND OTHER EMPLOYERS.
NUMBER ONE, BRIDGE PROGRAMMING AT PALMER HOTELS AND ALTER ALTERNATE VENUES SIZED TO KEEP 250 TO 350 ME MEMBERS WORKING.
IE REPLACE A MEANINGFUL SLICE OF THE NEGATIVE 3000 LOST ANNUAL CALLS SO THAT THE 2029 REOPENING INHERITS A WORKFORCE INSTEAD OF A VACANCY.
NUMBER TWO, BUILD THE ROOM WITH THE CREW THAT WILL RUN IT.
I-A-T-S-E, LOCAL 2 0 5 AND THE AV STAGING VENDORS SUCH AS FREEMAN AV, FREEMAN DECO GES SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE FOR THE FINAL STAGE INSTALLATION OF AV RIGGING ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS. AND SPECIFICALLY, THOSE SYSTEMS SHOULD BE INSTALLED BY THE SAME TECHNICIANS WHO WILL OPERATE THEM IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OPERATION.
THIS IS NOT A COURTESY, IT'S AN OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT.
THE CREW THAT HANGS THE RIGGING PULLS THE AV THROUGH THE CONDUIT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMISSIONS, THE SHOW SYSTEMS THAT CARRY THE WORKING KNOWLEDGE INTO EVERY LOAD IN AFTERWARD, WHICH EQUATES TO FEWER FAILURES, FASTER TURNAROUNDS, AND NO SIX MONTH LEARNING THE BUILDING TAX IN THE EXACT WINDOW.
THE NEW CENTER HAS TO PROVE ITS BUSINESS CASE.
A 70% LARGER FLOOR, 365,000 TO 620,000 SQUARE FEET IS NOT AN OLD BUILDING SCALED UP.
IT IS A NEW SET OF RIGGING PLOTS, POWER AND SIGNAL PATHS AND LOAD IN LOGISTICS.
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN IT DAILY ARE THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO SHAKE IT DOWN.
NUMBER THREE, MAKE IT A SHARED COMMITMENT, NOT A HANDOFF.
THE JUMP SCALE, THE JUMP IN SCALE ONLY SUCCEEDS IF THE CITY, THE TRADES, I-E-T-S-E 2 0 5 FREEMAN, GES AND OTHERS WORK WITH THE ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, AND CONTRACTORS THROUGH DESIGN AND COMMISSIONING.
NOT INHERITING A FINISHED BOX IN 2029.
A SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR IS A JOINT DELIVERABLE.
CITI PROTECTS ITS $1.6 BILLION INVESTMENT.
THE TRADES KEEP A TRAINED WORKFORCE INTACT TO STAFF IT AND THE VENDORS LAND A BUILDING THAT WORKS ON DAY ONE.
THE ALTERNATIVE, A DEPLETED DISPERSED CREW MEETING, A BIGGER UNFAMILIAR ROOM UNDER A FULL BOOKING CALENDAR IS THE PREDICTABLE WAY.
A $1.6 BILLION PUBLIC INVESTMENT UNDERPERFORMS IN THE YEARS THAT IT CAN AT LEAST AFFORD TO.
AND IS THAT THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATION, MS. COMBS? WE HAD IT IS.
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OH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE DETAIL.AND I THINK, UH, WANNA NOTES? SURE.
I, I THOUGHT I WAS DOUBLE CHECKING.
I DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE DONE 'CAUSE YOU HADN'T SENT ANYTHING YET.
I'M PASS IT TO RACHEL FOR A NICE LITTLE POLISH.
DO YOU WANNA ANNOUNCE YOU JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
NIKKI COMBS, BUSINESS AGENT I-E-T-S-E, LOCAL 2 0 5.
UM, FORMER PRESIDENT OF I-A-T-S-E, LOCAL 2 0 5 PROPS DEPARTMENT HEAD, UH, SURE.
PROPS DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR, UH, BALLET AUSTIN.
UM, I FORGOT NOW WHAT YOU WERE GONNA SAY.
UH, IN OUR ASK ONE OF OUR ASKS ABOUT HAVING, UM, COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY AND OTHER VENDORS AND EMPLOYERS, UM, TO HELP, UM, BRING BACK THAT WORKFORCE TO, TO BRING WORK TO THAT WORKFORCE AND BRING BACK THE WORKFORCE, UM, SOUNDED TO ME LIKE A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY WHERE THIS COMMISSION COULD ASK FOR A WORKING GROUP TO LOOK AT THAT, TO SORT OF HASH THAT OUT AND PUT SOME FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND IF THIS COMMITTEE IS SO INCLINED TO, UH, TO INITIATE THAT WORKING GROUP, LOCAL 2 0 5 WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED OR WOULD VOLUNTEER TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND HELP, UH, DRAFT OTHERS FROM THE COMMUNITY ONTO THAT GROUP.
ONE ITEM, LEVEL 2 0 5 DID SUCCESSFULLY WORK ON IMPLEMENTING, UH, THE NEW RIGGING POINTS OVER AT FAIRMONT WHEN IT WAS BUILT AS A REFERENCE TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, HAVING SOME INSTALLATION BACKGROUND THERE.
I'M GONNA, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I TYPICALLY DON'T TAKE FIRST CUT AT CONVERSATION.
I LIKE TO PASS IT TO FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND THEN I'LL CIRCLE BACK AROUND.
UM, I'M STILL PROCESSING, THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT IT, I WAS NOT EVEN CLEAR THAT WE WOULD BE HEARING, SO YES, MS. MCGEE.
WE DIDN'T GET THE DATA THAT WE USED UNTIL PAST THE, UH, TRANSPARENCY DEADLINE.
AND WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PUT THAT TOGETHER IN A DOCUMENT FOR YOU TO, UM, TO ADD TO THIS OR LATER, OR TO COME BACK WITH THAT INFORMATION, UH, VISUALLY REPRESENTED FOR Y'ALL.
I, I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT THE NOTE TAKING AND HOW TO, I DON'T WANNA LOSE ALL THAT DATA, BUT I ALSO REALIZED THAT WE WERE KIND OF UNDER THE CRUNCH TO PULL THIS ALL TOGETHER.
AND I, AND I KNOW THAT WE SAID THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, PLEASE JUST COME TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE WANT TO GET THE CONVERSATION GOING.
BUT I THINK A FOLLOW UP WITH SOME INFORMATION AND DATA POINT WOULD BE VERY WELL RECEIVED, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
AND WE WILL HAVE THE LIAISONS FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, BUT YOU CAN EXPECT THAT WE WOULD LIKE THAT FOR SURE.
THAT AND, UH, SO TURNING IT OVER TO THE REST OF COMMISSIONERS WHO HAS QUESTIONS FOR OUR GUESTS.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, PRUITT, I'M, I'M LAUGHING 'CAUSE I'M ALWAYS THE FIRST PERSON TO ASK A QUESTION.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THOUGHT THAT THERE MIGHT BE A RED FLAG TO WAVE, BUT I FEEL LIKE YOU GUYS JUST ARE LIKE
SO ALL OF THAT DATA IS REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, AND AGAIN, STILL PROCESSING, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING WAS, UM, TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS TO BRING IN NEW FOLKS INTO THE WORKFORCE.
HOW DOES THAT LOOK, UM, KIND OF ACROSS THE INDUSTRY? BECAUSE I KNOW AS A FORMER EVENT MANAGER AND THEATER KID MYSELF, YOU KNOW, PARENTS ARE ALREADY LIKE, IT'S, IT'S A RISKY INDUSTRY TO GET INTO.
UM, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IN AUSTIN OR INDUSTRY WIDE, UM, HOW GETTING KIND OF THE NEW CROP OF STAGEHANDS IS GOING AND, AND ANY THOUGHTS YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THAT? WELL, FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WE CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THE LOCAL STAGE TECHNICIANS IN AUSTIN THAT WE REPRESENT UNDER CONTRACT.
UH, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH, UH, TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS.
UH, WHERE DOES DUSTY COME FROM? AND THEY SEND US, PEOPLE CALL IN T UT TEXAS STATE.
I'M, I'M, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT OUT THE FEELERS, RIGHT? IF ANYONE'S ALREADY IN THEATRICAL SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS, UM, COLLEGES, WE SPEAK WITH THOSE, UH, THEIR LEADERSHIP AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO, UH, SEND FOLKS OUR WAY.
WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO PRESENT UNIONISM CLASSES IN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN EDUCATING FOLKS ON WHO
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WE ARE.'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN SO GOOD AT BEING BEHIND THE SCENES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WE EXIST.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, MOST OF OUR CONTRACTED CLIENTS INVEST IN THE INTERNATIONAL TRAINING TRUST FUND.
AND ONCE THEY INVEST THROUGH THE CONTRACT CONTRIBUTION, UH, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT TRAINING TRUST FUND TO COME AND DO PARTICULAR CLASSES, LIKE ON LIGHTING OR RIGGING OR CARPENTRY.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO RAMP UP SOME SKILLS-BASED TRAINING.
UM, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH FREEMAN AV IN THE PAST AND PUT ON A, UH, AV ESSENTIALS OR ADVANCED AUDIO VISUAL TRAINING WHERE WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE PALMER EVENT CENTER VOLUNTEER SPACE FOR THAT IN THE PAST.
UM, THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS DOWNTIME.
UM, JUST TO KEEP PEOPLE ENGAGED.
NOW, IF WE COULD OFFER PAID TRAINING, THAT WOULD EVEN BE BETTER.
UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT COMPLETELY ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, SO WE MIGHT TAG TEAM ON QUESTIONS, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
YEAH, I THINK ALL THAT I COULD ADD TO THAT.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE I-A-T-S-E TRAINING TRUST THAT HAS A CURRICULUM AND PROFESSIONAL C UH, CERTIFICATIONS THAT WORKERS CAN ENROLL IN AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UM, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FOR US TO PUT ON TRAINING IS, UM, EMPLOYEES AVAILABILITY.
YOU KNOW, OUR, WE ARE GIG WHAT MOST OF US ARE GIG WORKERS, SO IT CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET THEM TO COMMIT TO AN UNPAID TRAINING SESSION WHEN THEY'VE GOT BILLS TO PAY, GROCERIES TO BUY AND RENT TO COVER.
UM, AND THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS SPACE TO DO THE CLASS.
UM, A LOT OF OUR, UH, EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN EVENT SPACE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BOOKED IN THE CALENDAR.
UM, WE HAVE OUR UNION HALL, WHICH YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE A SMALL AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, BUT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO DO A TRAINING THAT INVOLVES HANDS-ON EQUIPMENT, UM, YOU NEED A, YOU NEED A SPACE TO DO THAT.
SO WHEN WE'VE DONE TRAINING LIKE THAT WITH FREEMAN NAVY IN THE PAST, IT WAS ACTUALLY DONE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, TWO OTHER VERY IMPORTANT CERTIFICATIONS THAT WE ARE ENCOURAGING ALL OF OUR MEMBERS TO RECEIVE ARE OSHA 10 AND OSHA 30, WHICH IS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY HEALTH.
UH, AND THE ETCP, WHICH IS THROUGH THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, THAT'S A, FOR RIGGING AND ELECTRICIANS WHO ARE HANDLING POWER.
SO THERE ARE AVENUES FOR THAT.
AND THE INTERNATIONAL, UH, REIMBURSES WORKERS WHO CONTINUE THAT CERTIFICATION.
UH, WE HAVE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ETCP IN THAT, UH, WE PUT CERTIFIED WORKERS FORWARD FIRST, UH, FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL ON WORK AND LAST CUT.
SO THAT HELPS US ALSO ENCOURAGE WORKERS TO DO THESE, UH, TWO TRAININGS THAT WE CAN HELP THEM WITH.
OH, RACHEL, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY ETCP WE ALWAYS SPEAK IN ACRONYMS, IS THE ENTERTAINMENT TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
IT, UM, GIVES QUALIFICATIONS WITH, UM, ARENA RIGGING, THEATRICAL RIGGING, AND ALSO ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY, POWER DISTRIBUTION.
AND THE LAST NOTE ON THAT IS THAT THERE ARE CITIES IN OUR COUNTRY, SUCH AS CHICAGO, WHO HAVE WORKED WITH THEIR CITY TO, UH, REQUIRE AN A TCP CERTIFIED RIGOR ON EVERY EVENT THAT'S ON CITY PROPERTY TO ENSURE THAT SAFETY, UH, PRIORITY LEVEL.
THAT WAS, UM, VERY INFORMATIVE.
FOR THE RECORD, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I NOTED THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS HAS JOINED US VIRTUALLY.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER CHANIN HAS, HAS WALKED, WALKED IN, SO HE'S RIGHT BESIDE ME.
AND, UM, WE'RE GLAD THEY'RE HERE.
I WANNA ALSO SAY, STEPH, UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, UH, PLEASE WAVE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
ARE YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION NOW? SHOULD I CALL YOU? OH, OKAY.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES I'M, I DO MISS AND I WANNA MAKE SURE I DON'T OVERLOOK, UH, YOUR, YOUR INTEREST.
ANYBODY ELSE HERE HAVE, UH, QUESTIONS FOR OUR GUESTS TODAY OR WANNA DIG INTO, UH, GREAT COMM
UH, NIKKI AND RACHEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.
JUST A COUPLE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS TO HELP WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, IS ANYONE IN THE CITY NOW OBLIGATED TO CONTRACT WITH LOCAL 2 0 5? ANY ENTITIES? YES.
WE HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAININGS IN PLACE WITH THE AUSTIN THEATER ALLIANCE, WHICH IS FOR PARAMOUNT AND STATE.
THE ONE FROM ALL OF THE LABOR COMES FROM THE LOCAL, UH, BALLET AUSTIN, AUSTIN OPERA, LONG CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS.
UM, AND AT THE BASS CONCERT HALL, TPA, WE HAVE A THIRD
[00:30:01]
PARTY AGREEMENT THAT GOES THROUGH A STAGE ALLIANCE.THE STAGE ALLIANCE CONTRACTS DIRECT WITH THEM.
OUR CONTRACTS WITH STAGE ALLIANCE, BUT WE REPRESENT THAT WORKFORCE AS WELL.
AND THEN NOTHING WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND THEN NOTHING WITH MOODY, UT, ANY OF THAT.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WORK OVER THERE, BUT THAT'S UNREPRESENTED WORK DIFFERENT.
UM, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, RIGHT? WE HAVE MOVIES AND PRODUCTION AND TV, BUT WE'RE LACKING ON THE LABOR FORCE.
AND SO I VIEW THIS AS A WINDOW TO EXPAND THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO DEVELOP THAT, THAT LABOR AND PRODUCTION TALENT THAT WE'RE LACKING.
UM, SO I THINK THIS COULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF BRIDGE THESE TOGETHER.
ARE YOU ASKING TO COME FORTH LIKE, AS A VENDOR OR MORE AS LIKE A CONSULTANT? 'CAUSE RIGHT.
THE, THE TERM COLLABORATION COULD BE KIND OF LOOSE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE OPINIONS AND PREFERENCES.
SO, WHICH MAKES ME THINK YOU'RE MORE OF AN ADVISEMENT ROLE, THEN CHECK WITH ME.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST, JUST HELP ME JUST MORE SPECIFICALLY GO FORWARD.
THE FILM AND COMMERCIAL WORK IS HANDLED BY ANOTHER, THE JURISDICTION OF I-E-T-S-E, LOCAL 4 84.
THEY HANDLE ALL OF TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS, AND AUSTIN'S JURISDICTION IS STRICTLY LIVE ENTERTAINMENT HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, I'LL TAKE THAT ONE IF YOU LIKE.
I WOULD SAY ADVISE ADVISING ROLE.
UM, WE OPERATE A HIRING HALL OR A REFERRAL HALL WHERE VENDORS AND EMPLOYERS CAN COME TO US WITH A LABOR REQUEST, A REQUEST FOR LABOR, AND WE WILL REFER FROM OUR ROSTER PEOPLE TO FILL THAT CALL.
UM, WE ARE NOT AN EMPLOYER, UM, BUT WE HOLD A UNIQUE POSITION WHERE WE GET TO SEE THE WORK THROUGH THE EYES OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE PUT TO WORK.
UM, WE ARE INCLUDED IN THAT WE DO THIS WORK AS WELL, ALL THE OFFICERS.
AND WE ALSO GET TO SEE THE NEEDS OF THE VENDORS AND THE EMPLOYERS WHO NOT ONLY REQUEST LABOR FROM US, BUT FROM THE EYES OF THE LABOR THAT WORK THAT JOB.
SO WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD PERSPECTIVE.
WE HAVE LONGEVITY IN THIS, UM, MARKET.
'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 1911.
SO I THINK TO IGNORE OUR POINT OF VIEW AND OUR OBSERVATIONS AND OUR DATA ANALYSIS, IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, WOULD BE A MISTAKE BECAUSE WE'VE JUST GOT A RICH TAPESTRY OF INFORMATION THAT WE'RE, WE CAN SHARE.
AND, AND OF COURSE WE WANT TO HELP BECAUSE WE ARE, AS YOU HEARD FROM THOSE STAGGERING NUMBERS, WE ARE STRUGGLING.
UM, NOT ONLY IS IT PART OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATION AS A LABOR UNION, BUT IT IS IN OUR INTEREST TO PUT OUR MEMBERS AND THE WORKERS WE REPRESENT TO WORK WHEN THEY'RE WORKING.
WE HAVE MORE CAPACITY TO DO BETTER WORK AT, AT OUR CHART, AT OUR CHARTERED FUNDAMENTALS, WHICH IS REPRESENTATION, IMPROVING WAGES AND BENEFITS.
WE HAVE MORE RESOURCES WHEN THEY DON'T, WE DON'T.
WELL, AND THEN YOU'RE GIVING THE, THE VENDORS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS BECAUSE YOU'RE GIVING THEM THE PROFESSIONAL LIKE LABOR AND TALENT TO IMPLEMENT AND EXECUTE.
AND SORT OF TO YOUR POINT, WHEN WE MENTIONED ABOUT BRIDGING EVENTS, I KNOW THAT WAS VERY MUCH A GOAL OF THE CITY AND VISIT AUSTIN, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHEN I WAS WORKING ON THE COMMISSION, TOURISM COMMISSION ABOUT BRIDGING EVENTS INTO OTHER HOTELS AND PALMER AND THOSE OTHER AREAS.
AND PROBABLY A LOT OF THAT HAS HAPPENED, BUT WE CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF ALL THE HOTELS USE THEIR OWN LABOR RESOURCES.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES IS THE DISPARATE OPERATIONS CORRECT.
SO TO ANY DEGREE THAT WE CAN HELP BRIDGE THAT OR HIVE IT TOGETHER IN A MESH NETWORK, I THINK IS OBVIOUSLY MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN IT'S NOW.
UM, AND THEN WHAT THE LABOR SHOWED UP, I'M SURE THAT WE ALL KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE A DOWNTURN GOING WITH THE CLOSURE.
UM, BUT YOU'VE RAISED IT LIKE VERY POIGNANTLY.
IT WAS MUCH BIGGER THAN WE ANTICIPATED THAT THEY'LL COME TO AUSTIN ANYWAY, IT DIDN'T REALLY HAPPEN.
AND, AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A, A GREAT TOPIC.
UM, HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT AND SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE THIS FORWARD.
IF I COULD ONE LITTLE, I HAD MENTIONED INSTALLATION WORK AND THAT WAS PART OF THAT COLLABORATION MIGHT BE, UH, SOMETIMES YOU GET THE COMMISSIONER, THEY JUST COME IN, THEY COMMISSION THE WORK, THEY PULL THOSE AUDIO CABLES THROUGH THE CONDUIT AND WALK AWAY.
AND WE HAVE A PRETTY HEALTHY GROUP THAT DO INSTALLATION WORK FOR RIGGING AND LIGHTING AND SO ON.
SO IF WE WERE AT LEAST ADVISED AND IN THE LOOP ON WHAT WAS HAPPENING THERE, WE'RE NOT WALKING IN COLD.
I DON'T, MY PERSONAL HOME IS NOWHERE NEAR CLOSE TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, BUT THERE WAS A CONTRACTING CREW THAT DID THE CABINETRY AND BEHIND THE WALLS AND THERE WAS AN IN INSTALL CREW THAT DID THE EQUIPMENT, THE TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT, AND THAT TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT.
THEY REDID A LOT OF THE WORK THAT
[00:35:01]
THE CONTRACTORS HAD DONE.AND IT'S JUST TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS PANEL COULD SAY, HEY, WE'VE GOT A VENDOR FOR YOU.
BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THOSE WATERS.
AND TO THAT POINT, IT'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, IF A VENDOR COMES IN TO DO THAT INSTALLATION WORK, HOW DO WE MAKE, HOW DO WE GET OUR MEMBERS TO BE THE EMPLOYEES OF THAT VENDOR, TO BE THE TECHNICIANS TO DO THAT WORK, RIGHT.
SO THAT THEY STAY, I MIGHT ARGUE LIKE, WHY DON'T YOU BECOME THAT COMPANY AND BID IT BECAUSE WE'RE A LABOR UNION AND WE DON'T HAVE THOSE RESOURCES OF THAT PATH OR THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DO SO.
WELL, YOU ARE NOT, BUT LIKE MY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY COULD
OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH YOU FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING.
I'LL LEAVE YOU MY BUSINESS CARD.
IT'S HOW THEY DO IT IN THE BIG HOUSE AND PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE.
I DON'T SEE IT ANY DIFFERENT HERE.
I WON'T TAKE UP ANY MORE OF THE DIOCESE TIME, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THE DATA AS WELL.
UM, I THINK WE WERE TRYING TO GET COMMISSIONER PO.
CN SHE'S BEEN TEXTING WITH ME, BUT I THINK SHE JUST BOUNCED OUT, SO I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK I KNOW, BUT I THINK SHE MIGHT'VE DISENGAGED.
I MEAN, I'M, I JUST, FROM WHAT I'M SEEING, I SAID WE WERE TRYING, WE'RE TRYING AND THEN OKAY.
I THINK SHE MIGHT'VE TAKEN OFF.
SO, UM, WE JUST SENT AN EMAIL JUST IN CASE.
I JUST, SORRY TO INTERRUPT THE FLOW.
BUT I'M TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I LEARNED A BUNCH, UH, A LOT OF THINGS WERE PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE THAT I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT.
UM, OUTTA CURIOSITY, HOW DO CERTIFIED WORKERS AND MEMBERS OF LOCO 2 0 5 FIND WORK? IS IT THROUGH AN APP? IS THERE AN EMAIL PORTAL? LIKE WHAT, HOW DO FOLKS GET GIGS? SO WE OPERATE A REFERRAL HALL, WHICH WE CALL IT'S NON-DISCRIMINATORY.
THAT MEANS YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A UNION MEMBER TO REGISTER FOR WORK THROUGH OUR HALL.
FROM THAT PROCESS, WE CREATE A WORK ROSTER.
WE MATCH UP THE WORKERS WITH THE JOBS, UH, THAT ARE UNDER OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS THAT ARE REQUESTING LABOR.
WE MATCH 'EM UP UNTIL WE'RE DONE WITH ONE OR THE OTHER.
SOMETIMES WE RUN OUTTA JOBS FIRST.
SOMETIMES WE RUN OUT OF WORK LABOR FIRST, AND THAT'S WHEN WE LEAN ON, YOU KNOW, LIKE SAN ANTONIO OR HOUSTON, UH, TO HELP US OUT WITH SUPPLEMENTAL WORKFORCE.
TO ADD TO THE DETAIL, UM, A NUMBER OF OUR EMPLOYERS THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH, UM, HAVE, UM, WHAT WE CALL, WE CALL DIRECT HIRES, WHICH IS LIKE THEIR CORE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT THEY USE SHOW AFTER SHOW AFTER SHOW.
LIKE MYSELF, I'VE BEEN HEAD PROPS FOR THE AUSTIN OPERA.
THIS IS MY 30TH YEAR WITH AUSTIN OPERA.
AND THAT WORK GUARANTEE IS LITERALLY THREE SHOWS A YEAR, WHICH CAN BE ANYTHING FROM AS LITTLE AS THREE WEEKS WORK PER YEAR IF THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING SMALL, UM, TO 15 WEEKS PER YEAR IF THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING WHERE THEY'RE DOING ALL THE REHEARSAL PROCESS, THE LOAD IN AND THE, AND THE SHOW.
UM, SO, BUT, BUT REGARDLESS OF HOW THAT EXPANDS OR CONTRACTS, I KNOW THAT I'M GONNA WORK EVERY AUSTIN OPERA SHOW.
SO THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE DIRECT HIRES THAT CAN SORT OF PLUG IN OTHER THINGS AROUND THEIR CORE WORK.
UM, WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE FULL-TIME, LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE FULL-TIME POSITIONS LIKE THE HOUSE EMPLOYEES FOR THE PARAMOUNT AND STATE THEATERS AND THE LONG CENTER.
UM, EV EVERYONE ELSE EITHER WAITS FOR A DISPATCH CALL FROM OUR HIRING HALL IF THERE'S NO WORK COMING FROM OUR HIRING HALL.
THEY MAY BE ON ROSTERS FOR INDIVIDUAL, UH, UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYERS IN VARIOUS VENUES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS CRAIGSLIST AND FACEBOOK, WHICH IS KIND OF SCARY 'CAUSE YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, JOBS THAT ARE ADVERTISED THERE.
UM, THERE'S DEFINITELY INSTANCES IN THIS INDUSTRY WHERE PEOPLE HAVE WORKED JOBS AND EITHER LOST, UH, THEIR WAGES, LIKE BEEN UNPAID, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE LOST, THEY HAVEN'T ACTUALLY GOT PAID OR THEY HAVE LOST SOME LIMBS OR THEY HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES.
SO, UM, YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT WHO YOU GET WORK FROM.
I ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE PRODUCTION OF LAB OEM JUST RECENTLY WITH THE AUSTIN OPERA.
NOT JUST THE PERFORMERS OF COURSE, BUT EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, THE CARPENTERS LIKE YOU, YOU KNOW, WE SAW IN THE PHOTO AND THE LIGHTING.
I JUST, I HADN'T BEEN TO THE LONG CENTER IN QUITE A LONG TIME AND JUST TO SEE THAT WAS, IT WAS ACTUALLY QUITE BREATHTAKING.
CONGRAT, YOU ENJOYED IT'S WORK.
[00:40:01]
UH, THANK YOU.UM, THE FIRST IS, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THINK BACK TO A PRESENTATION WE HAD THIS TIME LAST YEAR FROM AUSTIN, ISD AND HOW DESPERATE THEY ARE TO, UM, BRING MORE, UH, FILM AND, UH, BOOK OUT SOME OF THEIR, UH, LOCATIONS AROUND TOWN.
YOU KNOW, NOT JUST LIKE NELSON FIELD, BUT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, UM, BAKER CENTER, ALL THOSE PLACES.
AND THEY WERE REALLY HOPING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM WITH, UH, PEOPLE CONNECTED TO, YOU KNOW, FILM INDUSTRY, UH, TO TRY TO BRING IN MORE INCOME FOR THEM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP AS POTENTIAL CONNECTION FOR TRAINING LOCATIONS IF Y'ALL HAVE NOT ALREADY GONE DOWN THAT ROUTE OR COMMENT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, AND THEN MY QUESTION IS, I WAS THINKING, I, I WAS TRYING TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND EVERYTHING Y'ALL WERE SAYING.
DID I HEAR CORRECTLY THAT IT WAS THE CONVENTION CENTER AND, UM, PARAMOUNT AND STATESIDE WERE HELPING WITH MITIGATION, UM, FROM THE LOSS OF WORK? AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT THAT ENTAILED.
UM, SO THE ONLY MITIGATION THAT WE ARE AWARE OF IS, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYED ALL THE FACILITY STAFF THAT USED TO WORK AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND THEY HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO, UM, ASSIGN ALL OF THOSE EMPLOYEES TO OTHER CITY FACILITIES ELSEWHERE SO THAT THERE WAS NOT A LOSS OF WORK AND PEOPLE WERE OFFERED EARLY RETIREMENT IF THEY WERE CLOSE TO RETIREMENT.
UM, BUT THEIR INTENTION IS TO TRY AND RETAIN THAT FACILITY STAFF.
AND THEN AUSTIN THEATER ALLIANCE, UM, OWNS THE PARAMOUNT AND STATE THEATERS.
THEY HAVE A HOUSE STAFF THAT WE REPRESENT AND THEY HAVE COMMITTED WHEN, BECAUSE THE RENOVATION IS A RENOVATION OF CHOICE, THEY'VE COMMITTED TO RETAIN ALL OF THEIR HOUSE STAFF IN EMPLOYEES DURING THE RENOVATION OF THE PARAMOUNT.
THEY'RE GONNA GIVE THEM AS MUCH WORK AS THEY CAN AT THE STATE THEATER.
THEY MAY SEE A REDUCTION IN THEIR HOURS, BUT THEY'RE COMMITTING TO RETAINING THOSE HOUSE STAFF EMPLOYEES.
HOWEVER, WE ALSO PROVIDE OVER HIRE LABOR FOR LOAD IN AND LOAD OUT OF ALL THOSE EVENTS BECAUSE THERE'S NO EVENTS THAT LOAD IN AND LOAD OUT.
LABOR DOES NOT HAVE ANY WORK AND THERE'S NO MITIGATION FOR THEM.
UM, WITH REGARD TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT, UM, CREATING A PATHWAY FROM HIGH SCHOOLS INTO FILM COMMUNITY, YOU WOULD NEED TO SPEAK TO I-E-T-S-E LOCAL 4 84.
THEY DO ALSO OFFICE HERE IN AUSTIN, BUT THEY, AGAIN, FILM ANYTHING FILMED IS THE JURISDICTION OF OUR SISTER, LOCAL, LOCAL 4 84.
OUR JURISDICTION, THE WORK THAT WE DO IS ONLY LIVE EVENTS AND ONLY THE LIVE EVENTS IN AUSTIN.
SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ASSIST, UM, WE WOULDN'T BE A RESOURCE FOR CREATING FILM OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.
WE WOULD BE A RESOURCE FOR CREATING, UM, THEATRICAL, UM, OPPORTUNITIES LIKE LIVE TECHNICIAN OPPORTUNITIES.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR VENUE RENTALS.
THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THEIR FACILITIES FOR OUTSIDE VENDOR RENTALS AS A SOURCE OF INCOME FOR THE SCHOOL, FOR, FOR THE, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, THEY SAID THEY HAVE LOTS OF PROPERTIES THAT SIT VACANT, PARTICULARLY DURING THE SUMMER.
AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, NIKE COULD COME IN AND FILM A COMMERCIAL HERE, OR, YOU KNOW, AND SO I WAS THINKING FOR THEM AS FAR AS LIKE TRAINING WHEN THEY'VE GOT THINGS LIKE THE, UM, THE AUSTIN ISD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE WEEKENDS OR POTENTIALLY IF THEY DON'T HAVE A PERFORMANCE THERE, I FEEL LIKE IT SITS VACANT A LOT.
UM, AND SO OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT THAT COULD BE USEFUL TO, TO YOU.
SO IF I, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU CORRECTLY, YOUR SUGGESTION IS THAT A ISD HAS VACANT, UH, VENUES THAT COULD, THEY COULD POTENTIALLY OFFER US TO DO TRAINING IN AND THAT WOULD GENERATE SOME INCOME FOR A ISD THAT'S FACING A MASSIVE BUDGET DEFICIT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES.
OR JUST ANYTIME IF, IF THAT CAN JUST SIT AT THE FRONT OF YOUR BRAIN, IF IT EVER DOES COME UP WITH ALL THE FOLKS THAT YOU INTERACT WITH.
AS IF, YOU KNOW, FACILITY RENTALS CAN JUST BE A SUGGESTION IN THE FUTURE IF FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR A VARIETY OF SPACES.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY PROPERTIES, UM, AROUND THE CITY THAT I THINK ARE PRETTY ECONOMICALLY VALUED.
I, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY INTERESTING IDEA AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO A ISD TO FIND OUT ABOUT THAT.
I JUST WONDERED IN THE PAST, UH, I'VE KNOWN THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS REALLY ONLY WILLING TO USE THEIR PROPERTIES TO BENEFIT THEIR STUDENTS, WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THAT'S,
[00:45:01]
THAT'S THEIR FOCUS.BUT I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA.
I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT MY EAR AND I'D, SO THERE ARE TWO UNIONS.
THERE'S UNIONS FOR THE MOTION PICTURES AND THE, AND THEN THE LIVE EVENTS.
I I WON'T SAY THAT I WAS CRYSTAL WHEN I SAT DOWN IN THIS CHAIR TODAY IN, IN SAYING THAT, MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE.
IS THERE, ARE THERE CROSSOVERS, YOU HAVE MEMBERS IN BOTH UNIONS AND, AND IF YOU DO, LIKE WHAT PERCENTAGE WOULD BE ONE CAN GO TO THE OTHER OR, OR, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT REPRESENTING THAT BODY OF WORK, CORRECT.
I MEAN, EVERY STATISTIC WE HEARD FROM YOU TODAY REPRESENTS YOUR UNION IN YOUR, IN THE LIVE EVENTS, IN THE PRODUCTION FIELD.
BUT I'M WONDERING IF SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING MORE WORK OVER IN THE OTHER UNION.
AND I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR IF THAT'S TRUE.
THE FIRST ITEM IS OUR UNION IS THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL JURISDICTIONS WITHIN OUR UNION, INCLUDING TRADE SHOW, UH, HAIR AND MAKEUP, FILM, STUDIO MECHANICS, AND LIVE EVENTS.
OUR JURISDICTION'S LIVE EVENTS, BUT WE'RE STILL IN THE SAME UNION, UH, LOCAL 40 FOURS FILM.
WHEN THE FILM WORLD IS REALLY BUSY AND THE LIVE STAGE IS NOT, THERE ARE TIMES THAT THEY WILL CALL US AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, 10 PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN PUT FORWARD? UH, OR THEY'LL ASK ME FOR A ROSTER OF AVAILABILITY FOR FOLKS.
UM, WHEN WE HIT THAT DURING THE, UH, STRIKE WHEN THE FILM STUDIO MECHANICS FOLKS WERE NOT WORKING, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN EVENT LIKE COAST TO COAST AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH NEEDED A LOT OF PEOPLE RATHER THAN US CALLING IN LABOR FROM A SURROUNDING CITY THROUGH OUR JURISDICTION.
SEE WHAT I MEAN? OUR JURISDICTION'S AUSTIN.
SO WE WOULD CALL THEM TO SEND LABOR.
WE COULD CALL 4 84 AND SAY, HEY, I NEED 10 CARPENTERS AND YOU KNOW, 10 ELECTRICIAN GAFFERS, AND THEY'LL SEND ME THOSE PEOPLE.
SO YES, THERE IS CROSSOVER COLLABORATION.
UH, WE DO HAVE MEMBERS THAT WORK IN BOTH SIDES OF THE INDUSTRY AND ALREADY HAVE THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR.
AND WHEN WE'RE BI SLOW OVER HERE, THEY GO OVER THERE AND INSTALLATION WORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND I RACHEL CAN ADD SOMETHING TO IT TOO.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN ADD, BUT JUST KIND OF CLARIFY.
SO, UM, THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES IS AN INTERNATIONAL UNION.
AUSTIN LOCAL 2 0 5 IS CHARTERED UNDER THAT UMBRELLA.
UH, LOCAL 4 84 IS CHARTERED UNDER THAT UMBRELLA.
IN EACH CITY, IN EVERY STATE THERE ARE LOCALS, UH, LOCAL IATSE THAT ARE UNDERNEATH THAT BROAD UMBRELLA OF THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCES THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES.
THAT REPRESENTS ALL THE ENTERTAINMENT WORK YOU CAN THINK OF.
EACH LOCAL HAS ITS OWN JURISDICTION OF WHAT IT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR.
UM, AS WE SAID IN OUR PRESENTATION, LOCAL 2 0 5 WAS CHARTERED IN 1911, FILM DIDN'T EXIST THEN
AND SO LOCAL 4 84 WAS ACTUALLY CHARTED MUCH LATER.
AND A LOT OF THEIR FOUNDING MEMBERS CAME FROM 2 0 5 MEMBERS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS THAT HOLD CARDS IN BOTH LOCALS.
AND YES, WHEN ONE OF US NEEDS EXTRA LABOR, THEY WILL CALL THE OTHER AND VICE VERSA.
AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, WE WILL CALL OUR SISTER LOCALS IN HOUSTON, DALLAS, UM, DALLAS, FORT WORTH, UH, SAN ANTONIO, AND ASK IF THEY HAVE ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME INTO TOWN TO HELP US WITH A LARGE EVENT.
SO, AND JUST END ON A POSITIVE NOTE.
SO WHEN THE CONVENTION CENTER IS DONE AND THE SIZE OF THE CONVENTIONS THAT ARE COMING IN TOWN, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE IN AUSTIN THAT CAN'T DO THEIR EVENTS AND IN THIS DO THE SIZE.
SO DO YOU HAVE AN ANTICIPATED NEED OF WHAT YOUR MEMBERSHIP MIGHT GROW TO IN LET'S SAY 20 29, 20 30, AND WHAT YOUR NEEDS MIGHT BE JUST SO WE CAN START TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS? I THINK SO.
IMAGINE THIS IS THE BREAD AND BUTTER RIGHT.
I THINK WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND, AND, AND CRANK OUT THAT MATH BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT.
AND I, AND I THINK, UM, BECAUSE I, IN NIKKI'S PRESENTATION, SHE MENTIONED THAT THE BUILDING IS GONNA BE 70% LARGER, THE NEW BUILDING.
SO YOU GOTTA FIGURE YOU NEED 70% MORE LABOR.
UM, SO YES, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE LEANING ON OUR, FOR US LOCAL SURVIVOR WILL BE LEANING ON OUR SISTER LOCALS IN NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS TO HELP.
BUT I THINK THAT'S REALLY A BANDAID.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE INTERESTED IN PITCHING THE IDEA TO YOU ALL OF A WORKING GROUP THAT WE CAN MAYBE DIG INTO
[00:50:01]
THIS A BIT MORE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR HAVING SKILLED LABOR HERE TO SUPPORT THE CONVENTION CENTER SO THAT IT DOES WELL IN ITS FIRST YEAR THAN HAVE A BANDAID, LET IT FAIL AND HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T SUPPORT HAVING A LARGE CONVENTION CENTER DESCEND ON US WITH THEIR WRATH AND FURY.NO, AND I THINK THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER CUSTOMERS, WHAT THEY MOSTLY WANT, RIGHT? HOSPITALITY, YOU WANT CERTAINTY.
AND SO WE'RE HELPING DELIVER THAT CERTAINTY, RIGHT? YOU, YOU STAY AT LUXURY HOTELS FOR CERTAINTY.
YOU DON'T USE THEIR AMENITIES, YOU SLEEP IN A ROOM.
AND SO I THINK WE CAN TAKE THAT SAME NOTE.
AND THE REASON, THE REASON FOR, AND THE REASON FOR BRINGING IN OTHER VENDORS IS, AGAIN, I JUST WANT YOU TO ALL REMEMBER THAT THE DATA THAT WE BROUGHT TO YOU TODAY IS JUST THE SLICE.
FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH OF THE MARKET WE REPRESENT.
SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR ALL THE REST OF THOSE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE, UH, DISCLOSURE? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE ONE WINDOW OF MANY, BUT THOSE, ALL THOSE WINDOWS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME VIEW.
UM, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER CHAP.
COMMISSIONER CHANIN WOULD LIKE TO, TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION.
SO, UH, UH, I WAS CURIOUS, HAVE Y'ALL HAD ANY DIRECT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT ABOUT THESE POINTS? AND IF NOT, WHY? UH, NO, WE HAVEN'T.
AND I THINK IF WE WANNA BE BRUTALLY HONEST, YOUR INVITATION KIND OF KICKSTARTED OUR THOUGHT PROCESS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE A MEMBER LED ORGANIZATION, AND AS MEMBERS, OUR FOCUS IS REALLY PULLED, UM, INTO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE OUR NEXT JOB IS GONNA COME FROM, WHERE OUR NEXT PAYCHECK IS GONNA COME FROM, HOW WE'RE GONNA MEET THE NEXT BILL.
IT'S A PRETTY STRESSFUL, UM, WAY OF LIVING.
AND SO I THINK IN ALL HONESTY, WE ARE SO FOCUSED ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TOMORROW AND THE NEXT DAY AND THE NEXT DAY THAT WE FIND IT CHALLENGING WITH OUR RESOURCES AND OUR CAPACITY TO REALLY DIG INTO BIG, YOU KNOW, OVERARCHING STRATEGIC PLANS.
AND WE DEFINITELY CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT SOME SUPPORT.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, PRESENTING YOU GAVE A LOT OF DATA REALLY, REALLY INFORMATIVE DATA.
I WAS TRYING TO TAKE SOME NOTES.
THERE WAS SOMETHING YOU BROUGHT UP AND IT REALLY, UM, I, I JUST WANNA COME BACK TO IT, OR, OR IF YOU CAN TELL ME AGAIN JUST 'CAUSE I, I DIDN'T GET ALL THE, UM, THINGS, BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OR INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE, UH, AND, AND HAVING YOUR PEOPLE THERE AND, AND THAT, THAT PART.
CAN YOU JUST REPEAT SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT NEED TO BE THERE OR SHOULD BE THERE, UH, WHEN THAT'S HAPPENING TO MAKE SURE WE, WE AVOID ANY KIND OF ISSUES AND, AND WE'RE ON TOP OF IT WHEN IT, WHEN IT HAPPENS? SO, UM, THE LABOR PROVIDERS THAT WE ARE UNDER CONTRACT WITH, UM, THAT WORK AT THE CONVENTION CENTER WOULD INCLUDE FREEMAN AV, UM, GES, UM, WHICH I THINK IS GEN GENERAL EXPOSITION, GLOBAL GLOBAL EXHIBITION SERVICES, GES.
UM, WE HAVE HAD, UH, WE'LL HAVE A NUMBER OF VENDORS THAT WILL APPROACH US LIKE ONE-OFFS, LIKE THEY'RE COMING AND THEY'RE, THEY HAVE THE LABOR OR THEY HAVE THE, UM, YEAH, THEY'RE PROVIDING THE LABOR FOR THE EVENT AND THEY WILL CONTACT US.
UM, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY REGULAR, BUT THE REGULARS WOULD BE FREEMAN, AV FREEMAN.
FREEMAN ALSO HAS A FREEMAN DECORATING.
THOSE WORKERS ARE REPRESENTED BY THE DECORATORS LOCAL, NOT US, BUT THEY WOULD DO ALL, WHEN FREEMAN WOULD GET AN EVENT, THEY WOULD, THE DECORATORS WOULD DO ALL THE BOOTHS AND THE CARPET, AND THEN FREEMAN AV WOULD COME IN AND HANG ALL THE TRUSS LIGHTS SOUND, UM, PROJECTION.
UM, SO IF YOU WANT ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE OF HOW THE CONVENTION CENTER CLOSURE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS IMPACTED AUSTIN AUSTINITES, YOU SHOULD REACH OUT TO, UH, THE DECORATORS LOCAL AND GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE ALSO FOR THOSE WORKERS.
UM, I BELIEVE THE CARPENTERS UNION ALSO REPRESENTS SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT DO DECORATING WORK AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, SO FREEMAN, GES, AND THEN IT'S JUST KIND OF LIKE ANY BODY ELSE
[00:55:01]
THAT HAPPENED THAT COMES, IT'S THE CONVENTION CENTER.OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS A LIST OF VENDORS THAT WHEN AN EVENT IS COMING INTO TOWN, IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THEY WANT TO PROVIDE THEIR LABOR OR THEIR EQUIPMENT, THEY WOULD REACH OUT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE CONVENTION CENTER WOULD SHARE, UH, A LIST OF VENDORS THAT THEY WERE AGREEABLE TO, AND THEN THE, UH, CONTRACTOR THE EVENT WOULD PICK FROM THAT LIST.
YEAH, I, WHAT I MEANT WAS, I THINK I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT, THAT YOUR TEAM WANTED TO BE THERE.
YOU WANTED TO HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE DISCUSSION WHEN THEY'RE PULLING CABLES, WHEN THEY'RE INSTALLING CABLES.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS, THAT'S WHAT I WAS, BUT THANK YOU.
YEAH, THE INSTALLATION PORTION.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW MUCH PLANNING, LIKE WHERE THE PLANNING IS IN TERMS OF THE NEW BUILD.
OBVIOUSLY WE'VE SEEN THE OLD BUILDING COME DOWN, WE'VE SEEN THE GROUND BEING SUNK, BUT AT SOME POINT THEY'RE GOING, THE CITY IS GOING TO NEED TO SELECT A CONTRACTOR TO INSTALL THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THAT BUILDING.
AND THAT'S THE POINT WHERE WE WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN SOME WAY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET OUR MEMBERS IN THOSE INSTALLATION EMPLOYEE ROLES, SO THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE GIVING OUR MEMBERS SOME MUCH NEEDED WORK, BUT IF WE SOMEHOW, UM, PARTNER TO DEVELOP A WORKFORCE TO DO THAT INSTALLATION WORK, WE CAN THEN AND MAKE THEM LOCAL.
THEN WE CAN RETAIN THEM TO THEN USE THOSE TECHNICAL FACILITIES WHEN THE CONVENTION CENTER OPENS.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE TRYING TO BUILD THAT LABOR FORCE PRE-OPENING SO THAT WHEN IT OPENS, WE HAVE A LABOR, SKILLED LABOR FORCE THAT UNDERSTANDS IT, READY TO GO.
I, I GUESS I WROTE, I WROTE DOWN, BUT I MIGHT'VE MISTYPED, BUT GTSE, BUT MAYBE THAT WAS THE GES FROM SOMETHING, BUT OH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER EZ.
AND, UH, I SEE THAT COMMISSIONER WHITEHEAD WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN, PLEASE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS REALLY ILLUMINATING PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAD A REAL QUICK QUESTION TO GET A SENSE OF YOUR SLICE.
HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE IN LOCAL 2 0 5? WE JUST BROACHED 200, ROUGHLY 200 MEMBERS THAT ARE MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT WE REPRESENT ABOUT 600 WORKERS THAT SOME OF IT'S MEMBERSHIP, SOME OF IT'S OVER HIRES THAT REGISTER FOR WORK THROUGH OUR REFERRAL HALL.
SO AT ANY ONE TIME, WE MIGHT BE REPRESENTING 150 PEOPLE ON A CALL, PLUS THE, UH, FOLKS AROUND THE CITY THAT HAVE THOSE REGULAR JOBS AS WELL.
I'M ABOUT TWO 90 ON OUR ROSTER RIGHT NOW.
UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WHITEHEAD.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK WE NEED TO GET, MOVE ON.
WE HAVE A ONE, ANOTHER PRESENTATION SCHEDULED TODAY AND A LITTLE BIT OF BACKEND BUSINESS, SO WE'RE TRACKING.
EVERYONE, TRULY, AND THANK YOU FOR A REALLY ROBUST CONVERSATION AND A LOT OF INFORMATION I THINK YOU WILL DEFINITELY BE HEARING FROM US.
WE DEFINITELY HAVE THE CONVENTION CENTER IN TERMS OF UPDATE MEETINGS AND SEEING MORE ABOUT HOW THE PROGRESS IS GOING TO BE AN ANNUAL PART OF OUR, I MEAN, FOR EVERY, EVERY YEAR WE WILL BE GETTING BRIEFINGS AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT, WE'LL TALK AS A COMMISSION ABOUT YOUR PROPOSITION AND SEE WHERE THIS GOES.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING THAT OUR INVITATION TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY KIND OF KICK STARTED SOME THINKING AND TALKING.
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF, UH, ROLE THAT WE WANT THE COMMISSION TO HAVE IN, IN, IN THE TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE OF THIS TOWN.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND HAVE FROM THE GET GO THAT IT'S, IT'S A HUGE TRANSITION MOMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S, WE'RE TRYING TO REGISTER THE IMPACT IN EVERY QUADRANT.
SO THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME AND, AND BEING CANDID WITH YOUR SITUATION.
WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING AGAIN SOON, AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP FOR SOME OF THAT DATA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING US.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING, FOR INVITING US.
IT'S BEEN FUN TO BE ON THIS SIDE,
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN AND SEE YOU.
IF WE DIDN'T SAY IT FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD AGAIN, RACHEL MCGEE AT ONE POINT WAS THE CHAIR OF THIS AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.
I'D SAY THAT FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD TO ANYBODY WHO MIGHT JOIN AND WATCH THIS, SHE, SHE WAS TERRIFIC.
AND, UH, I, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS BIG SHOES TO FILL AND YOU CAN SEE SHE'S VERY DEDICATED TO, TO AUSTIN AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
[3. Presentation by Unite Here regarding an overview of the organization and its role in the tourism industry. Presentation by Rachel Melendes, Political Director. ]
ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER THREE.DO WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM UNITE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE? ARE WE I SEE YES.
[01:00:01]
ARE YOU HERE WITH ME? RIGHT HERE? I'M PERFECT.SO NOW WE'RE MOVING TO ITEM THREE.
ITEM THREE, RACHEL MELENDEZ, POLITICAL DIRECTOR FOR UNITE HERE.
AND I GET, I GUESS THEY PREFER YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR TITLE FOR THE RECORD.
EVEN THOUGH I INTRODUCE YOU, PLEASE DO.
UH, MY NAME'S RACHEL MELENDEZ.
I AM THE POLITICAL DIRECTOR FOR UNITE HERE AT LOCAL 23.
UM, SO OUR UNION IS, UH, UNION OF HOSPITALITY WORKERS.
UM, OH, THE MIC MICROPHONE CLOSER.
UM, SO, UH, WE'RE HOSPITALITY WORKERS, UM, CAN WE FLIP THE SLIDE? UM, SO IN AUSTIN, WE REPRESENT WORKERS, UM, IN AIRPORT CONCESSIONS.
UM, AIRPORT CONCESSIONS, UH, OVER AT THE AIRPORT, UH, IN HOTELS, IN FOOD SERVICE AT, UH, SOME OF THE TECH OFFICES.
SO AT GOOGLE AND META, UM, THEY COOK FOR THE WORKERS INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING, UM, AND ALSO UNIVERSITY FOOD SERVICE.
UM, SO WE CURRENTLY REPRESENT WORKERS IN THESE, UH, DIFFERENT PLACES.
WE ALSO, UM, OUR UNION REPRESENTS WORKERS AT STADIUMS AND CASINOS AND, UM, THOSE KINDS OF PLACES IN OTHER STATES.
UM, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY ORGANIZING, UH, SOME STADIUM WORKERS IN TEXAS RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT THAT'S PRIMARILY OUR MEMBERSHIP, RIGHT? FOLKS THAT COOK AND CLEAN, UM, HOUSEKEEPERS, UM, BARTENDERS, BARISTAS, UM, FOLKS THAT SELL, UH, FOOD AND, AND BOOKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AT, UH, THE AIRPORT.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABOUT, UH, 2000 MEMBERS IN AUSTIN, UH, 7,000 ACROSS THE STATE.
AND, UH, LOCAL 23 ACTUALLY, UM, INCLUDES LIKE 13 STATES.
AND SO, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY NEVER THINK ABOUT THE FULL NUMBER FOR LOCAL 23 ACROSS ALL OF THOSE STATES, BUT, UM, WE HAVE 300,000, UM, MEMBERS IN UNITE HERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IN CANADA.
SO, UM, WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO, UH, CHANGE, UH, HOSPITALITY WORK FOR OUR MEMBERS, UM, IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO, BUT ALSO, UM, THEIR WAGES AND THE BENEFITS THAT THEY RECEIVE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA GO INTO SOME MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT, UM, LATER.
BUT I, I WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR UNION, WE, WE FIGHT FOR OUR MEMBERS.
WE HELP OUR MEMBERS WIN, UM, BETTER CONTRACTS AND, UH, BETTER WAGES AND BETTER BENEFITS, BUT ALSO WE HAVE A VISION FOR WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IN TEXAS, WHAT OUR UNION IS GONNA BE A PART OF DOING.
AND SO, UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE LAUNCHED THIS, UH, HOSPITALITY WORKERS, UH, BILL OF RIGHTS.
UM, WE INVITED, UM, ELECTEDS CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, UH, TO, UH, JOIN US AND HEAR FROM WORKERS ABOUT LIKE WHY EACH OF THESE THINGS IS IMPORTANT.
UH, SO EVERY WORKER SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO JOIN A UNION IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO.
UM, EVERY WORKER SHOULD HAVE HEALTHCARE, AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, UM, LIVING WAGES, A GOOD, SAFE, CLEAN PLACE TO LIVE.
UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, UM, CIVIL RIGHTS AND IMMIGRATION, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, TRAINING AND ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR MEMBERS, UM, WE, WE, OUR WHOLE PEOPLE, RIGHT? LIKE WE DON'T STOP THINKING ABOUT OUR MEMBERS WHEN THEY CLOCK OUT AND GO HOME.
UM, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT LIKE, HOW ARE WE GONNA CHANGE OUR CITIES AND OUR STATE TO BE WHAT WE NEED IT TO BE IN ORDER TO LIKE LIVE FULL LIVES AND BE WHOLE PEOPLE.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, UH, BETTER JOBS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN DO THAT, RIGHT? THEY COULD TAKE VACATION AND TAKE THEIR KIDS TO DISNEY WORLD OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THEY LIKE TO DO, UM, AND SEND THEIR KIDS TO COLLEGE, GO TO THE DOCTOR WHEN THEY NEED TO.
UM, SO ON THAT NOTE, UM, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, UM, THERE WAS A HOTEL THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING, WHICH WAY THAT WAY, UM, RIGHT ACROSS THE WATER.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WAS A PART OF THIS DEVELOPMENT WAS MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THERE WAS GONNA BE APARTMENT UNITS, UH, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A PORTION OF THEM, UM, A LARGER PORTION OF THEM THAT WERE AFFORDABLE.
SO WE HAD MEMBERS SHOW UP TO CITY HALL, UM, TESTIFY, LIKE WHY WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE IN THE CITY.
UM, I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR MEMBERS, UM, THAT FOLKS WHO WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE RIGHT, ARE GETTING PUSHED OUT OF THE CITY LITTLE BY LITTLE.
AND SO THEY'LL MOVE A LITTLE SOUTH AND THEN A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH WHEN THAT BECOMES UNAFFORDABLE.
AND THEN FURTHER SOUTH, THERE'S FOLKS IN LIKE BUTTA AND I, I HEARD THAT MAYBE ONE OF THE AIRPORT
[01:05:01]
WORKERS MOVED TO SAN ANTONIO, WHICH FEELS REALLY CRAZY THAT THEY'RE COMMUTING FROM SAN ANTONIO.UM, BUT THAT WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE STILL AT THE AIRPORT, BUT JUST LIKE AN ANECDOTE OF, OF WHAT, UM, OUR MEMBERS ARE FACING.
UM, AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER THING THAT WE, UH, PARTICIPATED IN WITH, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER UNIONS IN INCLUDING AFSCME, AND I BELIEVE I OSSI WAS A PART OF IT.
UM, BUT WE, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, PUSHED TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $20, UH, FOR CITY WORKERS IN 2022.
AND, UM, AT THAT TIME, THAT WAS THE HIGHEST MINI MINIMUM WAGE IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY.
UM, AND IN THAT, UM, ONE, IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, RIGHT? WE, THAT'S PART OF WHY WE DID IT.
BUT ALSO, UM, THIS WAS GOING TO IMPACT OUR MEMBERS, UH, BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE OF THIS ORDINANCE SAID THAT ANY COMPANY THAT HAS A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY MUST ALSO PAY THEIR WORKERS THIS THE SAME MINIMUM AS THE CITY.
SO, UM, THAT IMMEDIATELY LIKE GAVE A RAISE TO AIRPORT CONCESSIONS WORKERS.
UM, I'M SURE IT APPLIED TO CONVENTION CENTER WORKERS.
WE DON'T CURRENTLY, UH, WELL IT'S CLOSED, BUT WE DON'T CURRENTLY REPRESENT THE CONCESSIONS WORKERS THERE.
UM, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, HOPE TO IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND THIS ALSO APPLIED TO THE HILTON, UH, HERE IN DOWNTOWN.
UH, 'CAUSE IT IS OWNED BY THE CITY.
ONE, BECAUSE PEOPLE GOT A RAISE RIGHT AWAY, BUT ALSO, UM, AS IT CONTINUES TO INCREASE, RIGHT? WE'RE RAISING THE FLOOR FOR FOLKS AND, UH, CREATING THE STANDARD, UM, REALLY IMPACTS THE OTHER PLACES THAT MAYBE ARE NOT CURRENTLY UNION OR NOT UNION YET, I GUESS I WOULD SAY.
UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMPETE, RIGHT? AND PEOPLE, EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET INTO THE HILTON, RIGHT? EVERYBODY WANTS TO WORK AT THE HILTON.
THEY HAVE GREAT WAGES AND BENEFITS.
THE HOTEL ACROSS THE STREET THAT'S NOT UNION IS GONNA STRUGGLE, RIGHT? UM, UNLESS THEY'RE INCREASING WAGES AS WELL.
UM, AND AT THE AIRPORT, UM, OUR CONCESSIONS WORKERS THAT THEIR CONTRACT WAS EXPIRING WITH THE COMPANY, UH, THIS WAS IN 2024, UM, UH, YEAH, THEIR CONTRACT EXPIRED AND, UH, THE WORKERS FOUGHT FOR $25.
THEY, THEY ASKED THEY AND BARGAINING, THEY SAID THEY WANTED 25.
UM, THEY TOOK A STRIKE VOTE AND THEY WON IT.
AND FOR, I WOULD SAY LIKE SIX MONTHS, I THINK THEY WERE THE HIGHEST PAID CONCESSION AIRPORT CONCESSIONS WORKERS IN THE COUNTRY, LA THEN CAUGHT UP AND, AND IS AHEAD OF US AGAIN.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, UH, WHERE PEOPLE OFTEN LIKE, LOOK AT TEXAS, RIGHT? AND, AND SAY NOTHING GOOD IS HAPPENING, BUT ACTUALLY IT IS, RIGHT? WE'RE SETTING THE STANDARD FOR, UM, WHAT CAN BE ONE, UM, EVEN, UH, IN OUR INDUSTRY.
SO, UM, THAT WAS THE LAST ONE.
AND, BUT THIS FIRST PICTURE IS FROM THAT $25 VICTORY AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, I THINK THE LAST THING I'LL, UM, TALK ABOUT, I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IN, UM, THAT YOU ASKED, UH, WAS THAT, IS THERE, HAVE WE SEEN ANY KIND OF CHANGES FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER BEING CLOSED? UM, A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT? UH, BUT REALLY THE STAFFING AT THE HOTEL, UH, REALLY IT'S THE HILTON THAT, UM, IS NOTICING IT.
STAFFING HAS BASICALLY BEEN THE SAME.
UM, SO THERE'S NOT BEEN THAT MUCH OF AN IMPACT.
UM, IT IS ALSO SLOW SEASON, RIGHT? UH, SPRING AND FALL IS WHEN IT GETS BUSY.
UM, THE AIRPORT, AS I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW, GETS INSANE IN THE SPRING AND IN THE FALL, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, ACL AND THE F1.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, I GUESS THAT'S REALLY MOST OF WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
I KNOW I DO, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE AGAIN THAT I OPEN IT UP TO OUR COMMISSIONERS TO SEE WHO WANTS TO TAKE THE FIRST, FIRST QUESTION OR DELIVER ANYONE.
JUST MAKING SURE I KEEP AN EYE ON YOU.
CAN, CAN YOU GIVE US KNOW YOUR IMPRESSION OF, UM, HOW THE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS AFFECTED, UM, STAFFING OF HOTELS? UM, SURE.
UM, WE HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UM, HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING HAPPEN IN ONE OF OUR UNION PROPERTIES.
UM, I'VE HEARD RUMORS FROM PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT MAYBE THEY'RE SEEING FOLKS, UM, GO AROUND TO HOTELS, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING YET THAT WE, THAT, THAT I KNOW HAS HAPPENED.
UM, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH OUR ORGANIZERS AND DOUBLE CHECK THAT AND LET Y'ALL KNOW IF THAT IS, UH, IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT, UM,
[01:10:01]
HAS HAPPENED.UM, TYPICALLY WE SEE, UM, SOMETIMES WE SEE HOTELS USE, UH, IMMIGRATION AGAINST WORKERS, LIKE HOTEL MANAGEMENT, USE IT AGAINST THE WORKERS WHEN THE WORKERS ARE ORGANIZING THE UNION.
UM, SO TO TRY AND INTIMIDATE PEOPLE OUT OUT OF ORGANIZING, UH, WE HAVE REALLY STRONG LANGUAGE IN OUR CONTRACT ABOUT, UM, UH, IMMIGRATION RIGHTS.
AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE WERE TO, UM, HAVE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, UM, OR LEFT THE COUNTRY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, UH, THEY CAN KEEP THEIR SAME SENIORITY AND, AND PAY LEVEL.
UM, AND TO COME BACK WITHIN IS THERE'S A CERTAIN PERIOD AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, NEGOTIATED WITH THE COMPANY.
UM, BUT THEY COULD COME BACK TO THAT SAME JOB WITH THAT SAME SENIORITY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT'S A POSITIVE THING WE'VE WON.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE WORKERS HAVE THE UNION, THE COMPANY ISN'T REALLY TRYING TO INTIMIDATE PEOPLE THAT WAY.
WE HAVE A PROCESS BY, BY WHICH WE SOLVE PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHANNON.
OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? HMM.
MAYBE IT'LL STIMULATE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS.
I, UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AS PRE AS OUR PREVIOUS GUEST.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPACT AFTER THE EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER LANDS, WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
HOW ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE EXPANSION OF THE, OF THE AIRPORT, UM, AND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN? MM-HMM
AND I ALSO, I'M JUST GONNA TAG ON SO YOU CAN MAYBE ANSWER IT IN TOGETHER.
THE, ANY PROJECTED HOTEL ADDITIONS TO THIS MARKET, WHICH HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT HERE HAS BEEN PRE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
IT CONTINUES A LOT OF CRANES IN THE AIR, UM, RESTAURANT GROUPS, RESTAURANTS EXPANDING.
UH, SINCE YOU'RE IN THAT SPACE, I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW YOU MIGHT, YOU KNOW, REPRESENT GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS CONVERSATION.
I'M, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AUSTIN ABOUT THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING AND, UM, PLAN TO CONTINUE ORGANIZING NEW WORKERS.
UM, UH, EXCITED ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, UM, ABOUT THE AIRPORT EXPANSION.
UM, WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH THE AIRPORT WITH ALSO SOME OF THE COMPANIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE BIDDING, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, READY TO, READY TO GO.
WE'RE READY TO REPRESENT THOSE WORKERS.
IT'S GONNA BE GOOD FOR THEM, UM, THE, AND ANTICIPATE THAT THEY WILL BE OUR MEMBERS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, UM, WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH, UH, RITA ON THE CODA HOTEL.
UM, SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT, UM, PROPERTY COMING UP AND, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY HAVE GOOD JOBS ON THAT SIDE OF THE CITY TOO.
RIGHT? UM, AT THAT, AT THIS POINT, IT'S JUST THE AIRPORT, UM, THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, GOOD JOBS IN THAT AREA.
SO ADDING THIS, I THINK IS GONNA BE REALLY GOOD.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT PART OF THE CITY AND, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UH, THAT, THAT, FOR THE SAKE, I THINK IT'S A THOUSAND ROOM CONVENTION, A THOUSAND ROOM CONVENTION RENTAL HOTEL SITE THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THERE.
ARE THEY NOT ALSO OPENING UP, UM, SOME SORT OF A CLUB, UH, A RESTAURANT THAT'S NOT, NOT NECESSARILY A PART OF THAT, JUST A, A NUMBER, ANOTHER TURN, ANOTHER FACILITY, A PLACE TO HAVE? DO YOU HAVE, I, I'M NOT SURE I HEARD DIRECTLY OR YOU MIGHT'VE SAID, DO YOU THE FOOD SERVICE AT CODA, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU REPRESENT OR NOT? NOT, NOT RIGHT NOW.
NO, WE DIDN'T, NOT AT THIS TIME.
UM, AND THEN JUST IN GENERAL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT RESTAURANT GROWTH IN THE CITY, I MEAN, WE ARE PLANNING, THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT FOOD AND FOOD TOURISM.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY HAS OUR ATTENTION THAT PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING AND JUST TO SEEK OUT THE EXPERIENCES AND AUSTIN'S MOVING RAPIDLY IN THOSE SPACES.
I'M CURIOUS IF YOU, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMETHING LIKE A HOMEGROWN, UH, HOMEGROWN IN FAMILY RESTAURANTS OR THINGS THAT ARE UNDER SOMETHING THAT'S AUSTIN BORN, I'M GONNA USE THAT TERM, VERSUS CHAINS THAT MIGHT BE EXPANDING IN THE AREA? IS THERE A SURE, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW YOUR MEMBERSHIP RELATES TO THAT? THAT THOSE, THE DIFFERENCE? WE DON'T REALLY REPRESENT, UM, WORKERS IN LIKE STANDALONE RESTAURANTS.
SO A RESTAURANT IN A HOTEL SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES WE DO, SOMETIMES WE DON'T.
DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION REALLY.
UM, BUT YEAH, RESTAURANT, JUST LIKE A REGULAR RESTAURANT YOU WOULD WALK INTO WITH YOUR FAMILY.
UM, TONIGHT, WE DON'T TYPICALLY RES UH, REPRESENT THOSE WORKERS.
I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.
I, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO PROCESS CORRECTLY AND IT'S, THAT WAS HELPFUL.
IT'S MORE INDUSTRIAL FOOD, RIGHT? DOES LIKE, BUT YOU MENTIONED GOOGLE, SO I, I MEAN, I'M JUST, RIGHT.
YOU REA YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT COMMISSARIES THAT ARE IN
[01:15:01]
SOME OF THE BIG EMPLOYERS, RIGHT? IN TOWN, RIGHT? IS THAT TRUE OF LIKE, THAT SILICON CHIP FACTORIES? I MEAN, I KNOW THAT FREESCALE USED TO HAVE A NICE COMMISSARY.ARE THERE JUST SPECIFIC ONES OR IS IT KIND OF UNIVERSAL THAT IF IT'S A BIG COMMISSARY AND A BIG, A BIG, YOU KNOW, TECH PLANT OR SOMETHING HERE THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY BE INVOLVED WITH THAT WE WOULD, WE, WE DON'T CURRENTLY REPRESENT THEM, BUT UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD FALL UNDER OUR UNION'S JURISDICTION.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO GO ORGANIZE, RIGHT? LIKE THE, THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING, UH, I FEEL LIKE THE ANSWER IS LIKE, WE HAVE NOT YET ORGANIZED ALL OF THE WORKERS THAT WOULD FALL INTO OUR JURISDICTION.
SO LIKE THE GIFT SHOP AT THE OMNI OR ONE OF THOSE LITTLE GIFT SHOPS, THAT WOULD BE SOMEONE SOMETHING OR A COFFEE SHOP AT AN OMNI.
I, I'M REALLY TRYING TO GET CLEAR ON IF THERE'S A TRUE PATTERN SO I CAN UNDERSTAND.
YEAH, THAT'S NOT YOU, BUT THIS IS YOU.
THERE'S NOT ALWAYS, IT'S NOT ALWAYS CLEAR.
UM, AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS, UH, AND I'M NOT TOTALLY SURE WHY, EXCEPT THAT SOMETIMES, UM, AS WE'RE DEALING WITH THE COMPANIES, RIGHT? LIKE WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH PARTS OF THE, UM, EMPLOYERS OR EMPLOYER EMPLOYEES ARE PART OF THE BARGAINING UNIT.
SO, UM, SOMETIMES THOSE SHOPS ARE LIKE OUTSOURCED AND IT'S NOT ACTUALLY RUN BY THE HOTEL, SO THEY'RE NOT TECHNICALLY EMPLOYEES OF THE HOTEL.
UM, SO A LOT OF TIMES, LIKE THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE DON'T REPRESENT THEM.
UM, JUST TO FINISH, I MEAN, I'M, I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH.
I'M TRYING TO PARAPHRASE WHAT I THINK I HEARD, BUT UNLIKE OUR PREVIOUS GUESTS, I, I KIND OF THINK I HEARD THAT THE MARK CONDITIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW HAVEN'T BEEN AS DETRIMENTAL TO YOUR ORGANIZATION AS IT WAS TO OUR PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, AND AT LEAST SOME OF THE AREAS THEY COUNT ON.
AND I'M JUST, THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE FILTERING HERE, IS IT STARTED, OUR, OUR INQUIRY ON THIS SESSION STARTED WITH THE CLOSING THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE CLOSING THE PARAMOUNT, WHICH ARE TWO SO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPORTANT, UM, FACILITIES AND, AND INSTITUTIONS IN THAT OPERATE.
SO WE, WE DECIDED WE'D START THIS CONVERSATION WITH THOSE TWO AS FOUNDATIONS, BUT BECAUSE OF DEVELOPMENT AND BECAUSE OF GROWTH AND SOME OF THE SECTORS IN AUSTIN, UC, YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPANDING YOUR, YOUR REPRESENTATION AND MEMBERSHIP, IT'S, AND IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY JUST NOW, PART OF YOUR EXPANSION IS BASED ON YOUR MOBILIZING CAMPAIGNS TO, TO GROW, NOT BECAUSE THE MARKET'S CONTRACTING IN SOME FASHION AND THINGS ARE OFFLINE THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY RELY ON FOR THE WELLBEING OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP.
UM, I MEAN, I'M, THE FOOD SERVICE WORKERS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER ARE NOT OUR MEMBERS.
UM, BUT YEAH, I, IT, I WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHERE OUR, WHERE DO THEY GO, RIGHT? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? UM, OBVIOUSLY LIKE THEY LOST THEIR JOB.
BUT, BUT WE DON'T CURRENTLY REPRESENT THEM.
WELL, I MEAN THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL.
I WAS NOT, I WASN'T A SUMMATION.
IT WAS MY, I'VE, I'VE HAD MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED, BUT I'M NOT CLOSING OFF OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEND TIME ANYWAY.
UM, I THINK SOME OF THE CONFUSION FOR ME IS II, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LET US KNOW THAT WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS WORK, THEY CAN GO TO THAT UNION AND SAY, HEY, CAN I BE ON YOUR ROSTER? AM I QUALIFIED TO BE ON YOUR ROSTER? SURE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT YOU, YOUR GROUP HAS A VERY DIFFERENT APPROACH TO MEMBERS AND, UM, ORGANIZING.
AND SO IF YOU COULD JUST KIND OF SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS.
LIKE, ARE YOU APPROACHING EMPLOYERS FIRST? ARE YOU APPROACHING EMPLOYEES FIRST? CAN LIKE ANYBODY JOIN, DOES IT? OR IS IT A GROUP OF PEOPLE? LIKE HOW, IF YOU CAN KIND OF SHARE THE PROCESS OF YOUR, HOW YOU GET MEMBERS.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHY THERE'S THAT DIFFERENCE.
UM, IN SOME OF OUR LOCALS AROUND THE COUNTRY, WE DO HAVE A HIRING HALL IN THE SAME WAY THAT, UM, I OZI DESCRIBED.
AND, UM, THE, THAT'S TYPICALLY, I'M GONNA GET TO YOUR LAST QUESTION, BUT THAT'S TYPICALLY LIKE HOW, UM, THE HOTELS WILL FILL, LIKE, UH, VACANCIES.
SO LIKE, THERE'S A HUGE CONVENTION COMING, THERE'S A BANQUET DINNER, IT'S A THOUSAND PEOPLE, WE NEED MORE BANQUET SERVERS.
HEY, UNION GIVE US 10 PEOPLE, RIGHT? AND SO THEN WE WILL, LIKE IN THE
[01:20:01]
HIRING HALL, WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR A SHIFT AND THEN THEY COULD GO PICK UP THAT SHIFT.UM, WE DON'T CURRENTLY DO THAT IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW, UM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE DO ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND LOOK FORWARD TO DOING AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
UM, TYPICALLY HOW WE WILL, UH, YEAH, TYPICALLY HOW WE ORGANIZE IS WE, UM, HEAR FROM WORKERS.
A WORKER WILL CALL US AND SAY, UM, I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THE UNION.
MY BOSS DID THIS, OR THIS IS HAPPENING, OR SOMETHING HAPPENED RIGHT? TO, UM, TRIGGER SOMEBODY WANTING TO ORGANIZE.
AND WE GO AND WE MEET WITH THEM, WE FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, AND, UM, USUALLY JUST START TALKING TO MORE PEOPLE.
IT'S LIKE, OKAY, SO THIS HAPPENS TO YOU.
UM, WHO ELSE WAS THERE? LIKE, CAN WE TALK TO THEM? RIGHT? AND THEN WE BUILD A GROUP OF FOLKS WHO, UM, WITH EACH OTHER DECIDE LIKE, YEAH, WE, IF WE ORGANIZE THE UNION, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT KIND OF THING NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN, RIGHT? LIKE, IT'S USUALLY A THING THAT HAPPENED.
UM, SOMETIMES WE, UM, ALSO LIKE, WORKERS WILL WIN THE UNION BECAUSE WE'RE FIGHTING IN ANOTHER CITY, SO WE'RE FIGHTING THE SAME COMPANY IN ANOTHER CITY, AND WE'RE ABLE TO FIGHT THEM TOGETHER, HONESTLY.
RIGHT? SO, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IN SAN ANTONIO, ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, WE WERE FIGHTING, UH, TWO HYATT, THE TWO HYATT PROPERTIES IN DOWNTOWN.
AND, UM, THAT WAS ACTUALLY A, A NATIONAL FIGHT WHERE, UM, SOMETHING LIKE 15 CITIES WERE FIGHTING AGAINST HYATT AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, UM, WE ALL LIKE ORGANIZED THAT WAY.
BUT, UM, IT, IT KIND OF JUST DEPENDS ON THE COMPANY AND WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND IF THE WORKERS ARE UPSET, I MEAN, IF THE WORKERS ARE HAPPY, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA WANT THE UNION, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT TYPICALLY WHAT, WHAT WE KNOW IS LIKE WITHOUT THE UNION, THEY'RE DEFINITELY PROBLEMS, DEFINITELY PROBLEMS ON ALL OF THESE NON-UNION HOTELS.
AND THEN JUST ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU USUALLY DON'T ORGANIZE UNLESS THERE'S KIND OF, UH, AN INSTIGATOR, UM, A MOMENT.
UM, HOW IS YOUR RETENTION? DO YOU HAVE ANY, UM, PERSPECTIVE ON MEM UH, UNION MEMBER RETENTION IN AUSTIN VERSUS A NON-MEMBER, YOU KNOW, IN A NON-UNION RELATED WORK IN THEIR JOB SITE? YEAH.
LIKE HOW, LIKE DO THEY TEND TO STAY LONGER? DO ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY MORE, DO THEY THEM BECOME MORE QUALIFIED? YEAH.
HOW DOES THAT, WHAT ARE THE BONUSES AND POSITIVES FOR PEOPLE TO STAY? ABSOLUTELY IMPROVES RETENTION.
UM, AT THE, LIKE THE AIRPORT IS, AS AN EXAMPLE, IT'S, THAT'S A TOUGH JOB, RIGHT? THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH YOUR LINE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THEY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY COULD BE THERE BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT, IF THEIR ORDER ISN'T FAST ENOUGH, THEY'RE GONNA GET ANGRY, RIGHT? LIKE, THIS HAPPENS, THERE'S, IT'S STRESSFUL AND IT'S HARD AND IT'S BUSY.
UM, AND WHEN THERE IS NOT A UNION, THE TURNOVER IS CRAZY.
LIKE YOU GO, UM, I MEAN, THERE'S LIKE NEW PEOPLE EVERY LIKE COUPLE OF MONTHS BECAUSE THEY, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT.
YOU ALSO HAVE TO LIKE, GET THERE SUPER EARLY, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH SECURITY.
YOU CAN'T REALLY TAKE YOUR OWN FOOD IN, SO YOU HAVE TO BUY WHAT'S THERE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE A LOT OF LEVELS OF CHALLENGES THAT WITHOUT THE UNION, PEOPLE DON'T WANNA DO IT.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, WE WANTED $25 MINIMUM WAGE AT THE AIRPORT FOR, UM, WORKERS AT OUR, IT'S NOW RE AS IT WAS DELAWARE NORTH.
UM, AND THOSE WORKERS ARE LIKE, I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
I, I AM STAYING, RIGHT? LIKE, THIS IS, THIS IS GONNA BE MY JOB BECAUSE I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY ON THIS ONE JOB AND HAVE THE BENEFITS OF THE UNION IN ADDITION TO WAGES, RIGHT? WHICH IS, UM, HEALTHCARE, UH, THERE'S JOB SECURITY.
IF THERE'S AN ISSUE AT WORK BETWEEN, WITH ANOTHER WORKER OR WITH YOUR BOSS OR SOMETHING, RIGHT? WE HAVE A PROCESS TO FIGURE IT OUT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST LIKE, YOU'RE FIRED, RIGHT? OR I QUIT.
THERE'S NOTHING TO DO ABOUT IT.
OUR OUR MEMBERS ARE, ARE LIKE PROUD TO WORK THERE AND WANT TO STAY THERE, AND LIKE, THIS IS THEIR CAREER.
YOU KNOW? THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.
AND I THINK FROM A, A TOURISM COMMISSION PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE WE WANT, UH, IF THE AIRPORT AS THE FIRST PEOPLE, THE FIRST PLACE PEOPLE COME TO, YEAH, WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
UM, WHICH IS KIND OF WHY I BROUGHT UP THAT I HAD THAT THOUGHT OF RETENTION.
BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME BACK.
UM, I FIND THAT AUSTIN AIRPORT ENDS UP ON A LOT OF, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE A FUN AIRPORT.
THIS IS SUCH A COOL AIRPORT, RIGHT? UM, AND SO I, IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT THOSE WORKERS, UM, WANT TO BE THERE.
AND, AND IT'S REALLY LOVELY TO HEAR THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROUD TO
[01:25:01]
BE THERE.HEY, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THE AIRPORT CONCESSIONS, I ACTUALLY HAD TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH 'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW, UH, I GUESS EMPLOYMENT WAS ORGANIZED THERE.
I SAY THIS AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE, THIS WAS LIKE 12 YEARS AGO OF JUICELAND.
AND I ALWAYS WONDERED HOW THE JUICELAND EMPLOYEES GOT HIRED AT THE AIRPORT VERSUS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE REGULAR SPOTS.
UM, BUT I DID SOME RESEARCH ON FLY AUSTIN.COM, AND I SAW THAT THERE WERE THREE PARTNERS WITH THE AIRPORT CONCESSIONS.
IT'S A, AS YOU MENTIONED, DELAWARE, NORTH, HMS HOST, AND THE ALDI, LA THAT'S, THEY'RE ALL, UH, THE RESTAURANTS ARE ACTUALLY ALL SEPARATED BETWEEN THE PARTNERS.
UM, MY QUESTION TO YOU THOUGH IS DO YOU REPRESENT JUST DELAWARE NORTH, OR DO YOU REPRESENT ALL THREE PARTNERS? ALL THREE, YEAH.
AND, UM, ALSO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LOUNGES, AND SO WE REPRESENT THOSE WORKERS TOO.
UM, SODEXO, AND I'M BLANKING ON THE OTHER COMPANY, BUT THOSE ARE CONTRACTED THROUGH THE AIRLINE, SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT SHOWING UP ON THE, LIKE CITY'S WEBSITE.
IT, IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY WERE DIVIDED OUT.
THE INDUSTRY IS, IS PRETTY CRAZY.
IT'S THE SAME WITH HOTELS ALSO.
EVEN IF IT SAYS HYATT OR HILTON ON IT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN RIGHT.
UM, SO, UM, YEAH, IT'S LIKE, UM, I'M, I'M BLANKING ON THE, THE NAME, BUT LIKE A FRANCHISE.
IN SOME WAYS, RIGHT? YEAH, LIKE THE FRANCHISE, THE, THE BRAND
ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE? ANYONE? THIS IS TIMING OUT REALLY WELL.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING JUST, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE BUSINESS TO DO TODAY, SO I THINK WE CAN, UH, THANK YOU AND, UH, RELEASE YOU FROM THIS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT IN DIGGING IN THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE GROUP HERE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST.
WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PANEL.
YEAH, I KNOW IT WAS KIND OF SHORT NOTICE IN SOME RESPECTS.
I MEAN, BUT WE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR EYES, THE OCCASION AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND BEING HERE TODAY.
AND WE WANTED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A COMPLETE AND TOTAL DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND IN THE UNION AND, AND THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS IN AUSTIN.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE US TODAY.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR, FOR HAVING US.
AND, AND BEST TO, TO ALL YOUR MEMBERSHIP AND TO, TO ONGOING WORK AND LET'S GROW TOGETHER.
UH, ALRIGHT, WELL, UM, THIS BRINGS US, WE'RE AT 4 0 3.
WE ARE ACTUALLY TRENDING TO EXIT THIS EARLY.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BONUS WHEN WE CAN DO THAT.
SO LET'S, LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
UM, WE, THE, UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS, UH,
[4. Update from Hotel Occupancy Tax (H.O.T.) Grant Programs Working Group regarding upcoming meetings and goals. ]
OUR NEWLY, UH, APPOINTED, UH, HOT, UH, TAX GRANT WORKING GROUP.AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA PASS IT TO COMMISSIONER PEW PRUITT, EXCUSE ME, TO, TO SEE, UH, WHERE THEY ARE IN, UH, THEIR DISCUSSION AND WHAT COMES NEXT.
UM, YEAH, I'M SURE YOU'RE NOT SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT, UM, HER FIVE, UM, PROFESSIONAL ADULTS, UM, WITH OTHER ACTIVITIES TO HAVE A SINGLE MEETING IS NOT EASY.
UM, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, I WAS ABLE TO KIND OF CONTACT, UM, EACH OF OUR, OUR MEMBERS AND JUST KIND OF GET THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHAT WE WANT OUR PRIORITIES TO BE IN THE UPCOMING WORKING GROUP.
AND, UM, A HANDFUL OF, UM, TOPICS CAME UP, UM, MULTIPLE TIMES IN DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO I THINK NOW WE JUST NEED TO TAKE THOSE TOPICS, UM, AND KIND OF LIKE HONE THEM AND FINESSE THEM, UM, TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY.
UM, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WERE, UM, THE APPLICATION PROCESS ON, ON THE, THE FRONT END OF LIKE, WHAT, WHAT, UM, ARE WE ASKING PEOPLE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO, UM, RECEIVE THESE GRANTS? AND THEN AGAIN, ON THE BACK END, SO ONCE THEY'VE RECEIVED THE GRANTS, ARE WE GETTING INFORMATION BACK, UM, ONTO LIKE HOW THEY USED IT, HOW THAT, YOU KNOW, RELATES TO TOURISM, HOW IMPACTED TOURISM, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO KIND OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS ON BOTH SIDES.
UM, AND THEN, UM, ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF, UM, WHO THE RECIPIENTS ARE.
UM, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM,
[01:30:01]
UH, FUNDING MULTIPLE YEARS IN A ROW.UM, AND THEN, YEAH, AND THEN, UM, AT THE END OF, UH, THE THIRD PART, SORRY, WAS FOCUSING ON, UM, OPERATIONS, UM, JUST GETTING A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT EACH OF THE GRANT GROUPS ARE, UM, WHAT THEIR GRANTS ARE, WHAT THEIR APPLICATION TIMING PROCESS IS, UM, IS THAT HELPFUL TO THOSE RECEIVING THE GRANTS.
UM, SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE THREE AREAS,
UM, AND I DID NOT SHARE THEM IN A CONCISE WAY VERY WELL, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON IN THE COMING WEEK.
AND IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT FOR, FOR COMMISSIONER PRUITT? ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR APPRECIATE THE REPORT?
WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN IN THIS POSITION BEFORE AND COMMISSIONER CHAPEL KNOWS THAT WE, WE KNOW WE HAD A ALMOST A YEAR LONG PROCESS, IF NOT MORE, WITH ONE OF OUR, OUR LAST TOPICS.
SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THIS, YOU KNOW, WILL TURN OUT TO BE SUPER FRUITFUL AND AND REWARDING FOR ALL OF US INVOLVED WITH, AND THOSE SPECIFICALLY INVOLVED WITH IT.
UM, TO THAT POINT, UM, I WANNA MOVE ON TO THE FUTURE GEN I'M SAYING TO THE POINT, BECAUSE I WANNA MOVE ON TO FUTURE AGENDA
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
ITEMS. AND I JUST, I JUST WANNA ROLL FROM YOUR, WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT THAT.I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AND MAYBE I'LL EVEN PITCH IT IF SHE DOESN'T MIND TO, TO VICE CHAIR PRUITT, BUT THE ROADMAP IS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSS AT EVERY MEETING.
IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT, WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON IT, BUT IS THE CADENCE OF THE TOPICS THAT WE'RE MEETING ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST SAY UPFRONT THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE BEEN THE LAST TWO MEETINGS, WE'VE HAD QUITE A LOT OF BACKEND STRUGGLES.
AND, AND IT ISN'T BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE INVITING AREN'T WILLING TO SPEAK TO US.
AND IT ISN'T THAT WE ARE MISALIGNED IN WHO WE'RE TARGETING AND, AND THE THEMES THAT WE WANNA DIG INTO.
IT'S THE TIMING THAT AND, AND THE CALENDAR WORKING AGAINST US AT SOME POINTS.
NOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY EASY TO ASK SOMEBODY THREE WEEKS OUT IF THEY ARE COME, WILLING TO COME MAKE A PUBLIC PRESENTATION AND WITH PRE, WITH DECKS AND WITH DATA.
AND SOMETIMES THEY WANT IT TO BE VERY CURRENT TO THEIR SITUATION, AND WE'RE NOT IN THEIR PLANNING CYCLE, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO COME UP UNLESS THEY'VE GOT SOMETHING FRESH AND, AND SOMETHING THAT'S ON AGENDA AND GOAL FOR THEM.
SO ALL THAT BEING SAID, WE, WE, VICE CHAIR MASTERS AND I HAVE BEEN TINKERING, UM, IN THE BACKGROUND, UH, WITH THE ROADMAP.
AND I GUESS WE JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU KIND OF A, A UPDATE ON WHAT WE THINK THE NEXT MEETING MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
AND SO IS THAT YOU WANNA JUST KIND OF, IT IT SHOULDN'T, IT IS NOT A, THIS IS NOT A COMPLICATED SUBJECT, BY THE WAY,
UM, SO AS Y'ALL KNOW, WE HAD TO KIND OF MOVE AROUND SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEMS, AND THEN BASED OFF OF MORE RECENT CONVERSATIONS, WE PIVOTED A LITTLE FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, FOR JULY, WE'RE GOING TO, WE ANTICIPATE IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN GET FOLKS TO DO A SPOTLIGHT ON AUSTIN'S HERITAGE GRANTS, WHICH ARE HOT TAX FUNDED.
UM, AND SO WE LOOKED AT THE LIST OF, UH, RECIPIENTS AND KIND OF PULLED A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND A LITTLE BIT OF THAT OUT OF, UM, BOTH THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AND, UM, E EVENTS BASED INVESTMENTS, UM, OF THESE HOT TAX FUNDS.
AND SO WE'RE AIMING TO, UH, GET SOME FOLKS TO COME TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN WE KIND OF SHUFFLED A LITTLE, WE'LL GET A COPY OF THIS TO Y'ALL, ED AND I JUST DISCUSSED IT BEFORE THIS MEETING, SO THAT'S WHY WE DON'T HAVE COPIES.
BUT, UM, THEN LOOKING AT IN SEPTEMBER, SINCE WE CANCELED AUGUST MEETING THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY PLANNED FOR ON THE ROADMAP TO LOOK AT SOME OF OUR BIGGEST TOURISM DRAWS SOUTH BY CODA AND CODA LAND, AND HOPEFULLY VISIT AUSTIN LOOKING IN OCTOBER, UH, MORE HOLISTICALLY, UM, AT THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE, A BIA, UM, THE MICHELIN GUY THAT WE WERE HOPING FOR BEFORE, WE ALSO HAD ASKED THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION TO COME TO THIS MEETING AND THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT THEY REALLY WANNA COME.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIT THEM IN IN OCTOBER.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA COME CIRCLE BACK AGAIN IN NOVEMBER TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND, UH, DECEMBER, HISTORICALLY WE'VE DONE AS A WORKING SESSION SESSION.
UM, SO WE'LL BE, UH, HANDING THAT OUT TO Y'ALL, UH, VIRTUALLY AFTER THIS MEETING.
UM, VICE CHAIR, MASTERS, WE, WE HAVE A DRAFT.
UM, I, I, I SEE OUR LIAISON STARING.
YES, WE, WE HAVE A DRAFT ALREADY.
WE, WE, WE'RE GONNA, WE'LL GIVE YOU A, SHE'S GOT A COPY.
UM, WE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO HAND IT OUT TODAY BECAUSE WE, WE THOUGHT JUST DISCUSSING IT AND, AND HEARING SOME IF, IF FEEDBACK, UH, AND THEN WE CAN, WE'LL OFFICIALLY HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA
[01:35:01]
JUST TO HAND OUT.AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON IT.
WE'RE NOT COMMITTED TO THESE, BUT WE WANT YOU TO ALWAYS FEEL ENERGIZED.
UM, I, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT COMMISSIONER PRUITT, UH, POSTED ON HER LINKEDIN, YOU KNOW, HER ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS SESSION, AND IT'S, AND SHE DID, AND WHAT WAS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS MONTH IS SHE DID IT IN ADVANCE OF OUR MEETING AS OPPOSED TO A POST RECAP.
BUT IN EITHER FASHION, SHE'S BEEN TRULY ENGAGED, TRULY ENGAGED IN, IN PROMOTING, UH, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO I'M, I'M, I WANT TO ALWAYS SUPPORT THAT.
UM, THE SECOND THING I'D LIKE TO, TO, TO ADDRESS IN THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM IS THAT IN OUR, IN OUR PREVIOUS MEETING, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW OR THE, OUR IMPACT REPORT BEING FILED FOR THE CITY, WHICH IS DUE IN JULY 31ST.
SO IN THE NEXT MEETING, WE'RE GONNA, WE WANT TO OFFICIALLY, WE'RE GONNA PUT ON THE AGENDA THE REVIEW OF OUR REPORT THAT WE WANT TO HAND INTO THE CITY.
WE, SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE THROUGH THIS, A COUPLE OF OTHER CYCLES.
UM, YOU'VE BEEN HERE, SOME OF YOU ARE NEW, AND THIS IS BE THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU'VE SEEN HOW THIS OPERATES, BUT WE'RE COMPELLED, UM, IT'S, IT'S A PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A COMMISSION TO GIVE A REPORT FOR OUR ACTIONS AND IMPACT AS WE SEE IT, AND HOW WE'RE STAYING TRUE TO MISSION AND PURPOSE.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE
WE ARE WORKING ALSO THROUGH A NEW SYSTEM THAT THE CITY IS DEPLOYING.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE ASKING US TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY THAN WE HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING IT, IT'S ACTUALLY SIMPLIFYING IT, WHICH IS GOOD, AND THEY'RE MAKING IT HOLISTIC, WHICH I CAN SEE FROM A CITY'S PERSPECTIVE.
THERE'S LIKE A HUNDRED COMMISSIONS IN THE CITY IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
SO IF EVERYBODY DID THEIR OWN FREE STYLING, IT WOULD BE QUITE A BIT OF PAPERWORK FOR THE CITY.
SO I ACTUALLY CAN APPRECIATE, AND I BET YOU COMMISSIONER CHAPEL CAN TOO, THAT THEY'RE SYSTEMIZING THIS IN A WAY THAT KEEPS IT EQUITABLE ACROSS ALL COMMISSIONS, RIGHT? SO WE ALL FILL OUT THE SAME FORM AND WE ANSWER THE SAME QUESTIONS, PERIOD.
AND, YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE ALL DOING DIFFERENT THINGS ANYHOW.
SO, UM, WE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF COMMISSIONER MATHIS, I DON'T SEE HER UP ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER POSI DIDN'T MAKE IT ON, BUT WE ARE GOING TO RELEASE A DRAFT OF OUR RESPONSES FOR THIS REPORT.
SO THE REASON I'M SAYING THIS, UH, AS PART OF THIS MEETING IS WE'RE GOING TO SEND A DRAFT OF THE, UH, REPORT FOR REVIEW TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND ASK THAT YOU LITERALLY TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW IT.
AND IF YOU HAVE, UH, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS OF WORDSMITHING OR ADDING SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE INCORPORATED, WE, WE WILL, WE LITERALLY NEED TO HAVE A WORKING SESSION IN JULY.
WE WILL, WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE ALL THE CHANGES ON THE FLY AND OFFICIALLY VOTED AS WE'VE ALL, WE'VE ALL AGREED, AND SO THAT THE LIAISONS CAN THEN FILE THE REPORT, BE BY THE END OF THE MONTH WHEN IT'S DUE IN JULY BEFORE OUR NEXT, AND SINCE WE'RE OFF IN AUGUST, IT, IT HAS TO BE DONE THAT WAY.
IT HAS BEEN SIMPLE IN THE PAST.
IF YOU LIKE THE WORDS THAT WE CHOOSE AND YOU THINK THAT WE'RE FOCUSED CORRECTLY ON THE REPORT, UM, THEN THAT SHOULD BE VERY EASY.
IF, IF YOU THINK THAT WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING AND YOU WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, SOMETHING TO BE ADDED TO IT, OR TO REPHRASE HOW WE'RE REPORTING OUR IMPACT, WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU REALLY TRY TO SUPPLY THAT IN ADVANCE SO THAT WE'RE NOT LITERALLY WRITING IT AS A GROUP AND WE CAN SHOW UP AT THE MEETING WITH A DRAFT, WITH THE PROPOSED CHANGES, WHICH IS WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO.
EVERYBODY REVIEWS THEM TOGETHER, AND THEN WE JUST, WE VOTED IN.
UM, SO ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? VICE CHAIR, MASTERS, YOU'RE INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH THIS.
UH, COMMISSIONER SHANNON? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER MASTERS AND YOURSELF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE INITIAL DRAFT OF THAT REPORT.
I KNOW IT'S NOT, IT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AN EASY THING TO DO.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR NEW LIAISON TEAM.
I MEAN, I MEAN, FE I I DIDN'T NEED TO LEAVE YOU OUT.
I MEAN, BUT I KNOW THAT FELICIA, UH, WAS ALWAYS RIGHT BY OUR SIDE IN HELPING DO THIS, AND SHE'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING US RETRACE OUR HISTORICAL STEPS SO THAT, I MEAN, AS A CONTINUITY VEHICLE FOR HER TO, TO SET UP THE NEW TEAM FOR SUCCESS AND TO, TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
[01:40:01]
WHAT WE DID IN THE PAST, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CITY'S ASKING US TO DO A NEW PROCESS, WHICH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S, BUT LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S GOOD.I THINK, I THINK WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO IS SIMPLIFYING IT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE CITY'S GONNA LOOK AT ALL THAT AND MEASURE THEIR IMPACT AND ROI FOR THE COMMISSIONS THEY OVERSEE, BUT I GUESS WE'LL FIND OUT.
BUT, SO, UM, I, IF YOU'RE, AND I'M GUILTY OF THIS, SO I'M SAYING THIS, IF YOU DON'T CHECK YOUR CITY EMAIL THAT OFTEN, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT A CITY EMPLOYEE AND THE ONLY REASON YOU HAVE THE CITY EMAIL IS BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THIS COMMISSION.
TRY TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT SO THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WE CAN DO THINGS PERHAPS NOT WITH QUORUM, BUT WE CAN GIVE IT, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GET A TEXT AND MAYBE I CAN TEXT SOMEBODY, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA TEXT THE WHOLE GROUP.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S PROBABLY THE WAY WE DO THINGS.
THAT WOULD NOT BE, THAT WOULD NOT BE, BUT YOU KNOW, I MIGHT FOLLOW UP WITH ONE OR TWO OF YOU.
JUST SAY, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL AND WE'LL DO IT KIND OF IN A YEAH.
BUT YEAH, WE'LL BE SENDING THAT OUT.
OKAY, SO THAT WHAT LOOK FOR, LOOK FOR MESSAGES FROM OUR, FROM, FROM APRIL AND SILVA.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, UH, DO I HAVE A, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS AND BRING UP IN THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? YES.
UM, JUST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE ROADMAP, JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE, IF WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO TALK ABOUT, LIKE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, LIKE THE CONVENTION CENTER IN SOUTH BY FORMULA ONE, RIGHT? ALL THE MOBILE FOOD VENDORS AND THE BIG EVENTS.
I THINK THAT COULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THEM AND HOW THEY DO THEIR ONSITE INSPECTIONS.
UM, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT THIS INDUSTRY LOOKS LIKE FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW IN TERMS OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY BANNER.
UM, I'M, I SEE, UH, VICE CHAIR MASTERS MAKING NOTES.
I'M WONDERING WITHIN THE ROADMAP, IF ONE OF, ONE OF THESE THAT TUCKS INTO BETTER THAN ANOTHER? I, I, I'M NOT SURE.
NO, AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY LIKE, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY LIKE FITS WITH RESTAURANTS, RIGHT? YES.
BECAUSE THEY DO DO LIKE THE, THE GRADING, BUT MM-HMM
WHEREVER THEY WILL COULD INFORM US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR WORLD AND OPERATIONS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US ALL.
IT'S, IT'S A SOLID SUGGESTION AND UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
KEEP, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW WE GOT HERE.
IT'S, I MEAN, THE ROADMAP THAT WE HAVE IS YOUR ROADMAP.
THE ROADMAP WE HAVE IS FROM THE WORKING, UH, SESSION THAT WE DID IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR, AND IT'S, IT, THAT WASN'T THE ONE AND DONE PLANNING PERIOD WHERE IT'S ONGOING.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE ADDED ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY OR ANOTHER AREA OF INTEREST THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.
AND WE NEED, WE DO NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A VARIETY OF IDEAS AROUND SOME OF THESE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE GET SHOT DOWN, YOU KNOW, AND WE ACTUALLY INVITED THE OS, UH, THE, UM, TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION TO APPEAR TODAY AND TO BE A PART OF, WE WOULD HAVE THREE.
AND SO THEY, THEY DECLINED FOR, FOR SOLID REASONS.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO HAVE, UH, ALTERNATIVE, UM, PLANS AND, AND GROUPS THAT WE WANNA SPEAK TO BECAUSE WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY IN BETWEEN THESE SESSIONS.
AND WE REALLY WANT JULY, WE WANT JULY TO BE EASY.
AND AS WE HEAD OFF TO OUR AUGUST RECESS AND, UM, SO LOOK FOR INFORMATION AND HELP US OUT WITH THE, UH, ANNUAL, UH, REPORT.
AND WITH THAT, UM, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS, I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO, TO ADJOURN.
I GOT, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CHAPEL, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CHANIN.
EVERYBODY INTERESTED IN SAYING, UH, CHE, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND MEETING ADJOURNED.