IATSE Local 22 Work Referral System

As part of the PGCC TET program, we recommend that you sign up for the Local 22 Referral System, which gives you access to work through the Local. Basically, it’s our database, including everyone who works for us, whether they are Members, or not. Many of the people in the System are not Members; having a membership card is not required to work in the system. For complete information about applying for Membership, use this LINK. For complete information about applying for the Referral System, use this LINK.

Applying for the Referral System basically requires you to fill out an application, and to complete a 3 part form that includes contact info, IRS W4, and I9, as well as the appropriate state W4 (DC, MD, VA) depending on where you live. These forms are required for all our jobs, and since you may work for many different employers, it’s a good thing to download the forms, fill them out, and keep copies so that you don’t have to fill them out every time you go on a new job.

Normally, Local 22 requires you to go to the office in DC to apply, but as part of the TET program, we can come to the campus with the forms and submit them to the Local for you. Or you can download and fill out the forms and email the Training Director, who can pass them on to the office for you.

From Applicant to D list: Once you have completed this process, you are added to our database. You must now wait for your first work call, which may take some time, depending on production schedules. You will be far down the list as a new applicant, of course, but you will be noted as a PGCC student, which helps. The important thing is to be available to take whatever job the call steward calls you for; when you do, you will officially enter the referral system on the D list. LINK here for more on the List system.

For this reason, it’s important that the office knows your current contact information, including a phone number that you answer all the time, and/or has voicemail. The call steward doesn’t use text messages. If you can’t take the job, or don’t answer the phone or call back quickly, you will remain an applicant and fall to the bottom of the list again.

Check out this LIST of work rules and phone numbers, including a list of tools that you are required to take on any job (you may have most of them already as a TET student). These rules are very important and not following them can cause you to be sent home.

The Jobline: Once you take that first job, you can take advantage of our Jobline, included in the list above, which you should call immediately when you finish any job, and record the fact that you are available again for the rest of that week, and if you have times or days for which you’re not available. You need not leave any contact information except your name; the rest of your information is in the database. This list starts over every Monday, so if you want to remain available, call the Jobline at the beginning of every week and repeat your availability for that week.

Networking to get jobs: There are hundreds of people in the database, although many of them are not available all the time. To make yourself more likely to be called, you can do the following things:

Add to your skills. You’re already doing this as part of the TET program, and any of the Local 22 Training classes are available to you; take all of them you can. Even when you are low on the list, skills can take precedence over everything else, and you might get a job over others who don’t have the skills.

Make a visit to the Local 22 office. Call the office and ask to make an appointment with the Business Agent, and/or the President to introduce yourself. Yes, such a meeting is not high priority for them, but the fact that you are trying makes them take notice. Such a meeting is like a job interview; let them know what you can do, and where you are in the TET program, and any job experience you have, wherever it might have been. Most of us have worked for many employers and in many jobs including non-union work; that’s not a negative, only a beginning.

Your attitude is important. People notice if you are ready to work, and take on any task asked of you. When you’re in classes or on jobs stay off your phone, except in emergencies, pay attention, and ask questions if you’re not sure of what you’re asked to do.

Make yourself visible. When you have a class in your TET courses that is taught by a Union member, get to know that person, and show them that you’re interested and knowledgeable. When you take a Local 22 class, do the same thing. All these instructors are people who are frequently crew heads on jobs, and can call you back for the next day on a job, or send you home. And they can influence the call steward to call you for work that otherwise you would miss. Networking like this is a big part of getting work in our system.

Make yourself as available as possible. It’s hard at first, because calls may be few and far between. But once you’re started, it gets easier because you can network on any job to show that you have the skills and desire to work.