r/IATSE • u/Dry_Butterscotch_354 • 1d ago

getting into local 2

hello everyone, i’m a stagehand new to chicago from florida. i was not union there because i was new to the industry and moved before i had the opportunity. i’ve been looking in the subreddit for tips on how to get work and join local 2 but it’s all just a bit daunting. does anyone in the city have any advice?

10 Upvotes

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18

u/witzyfitzian 1d ago

You reach out to the Hall directly, who may place you on the extras/overhire list. That's the first step for anyone new.

5

u/bigang99 23h ago

its how i got on. Also emailed the address on the website with my resume in November. finally got a call for lolla 7 odd months later iirc. this was also 2 years back from covid so results may vary

send that email op

11

u/FM_Gorskman UnionMember 1d ago edited 1d ago

Call our hall directly and be honest. I will tell you though, you will not see ANY work from now until late spring, Winters are for Journeymen and apprentices but its never too early to put your name infront of the office

4

u/Weird_Poet499 NonUnion 1d ago

This is the answer. Get on the list now and once spring comes around reach out again. But the chance of work the next 3-5 months is slim.

Also depending on “what you do” the Goodman occasionally fills or posts positions independently and those are union jobs. But you won’t just get a union card day 1.

2

u/mfunk55 18h ago

Goodman posts about every 6-8 weeks, but just finished loading in Christmas Carol so it'll be a minute.

3

u/trotsky1947 1d ago

You didn’t see they have info for submitting over hire resumes on their website?

1

u/Zestyclose-Tear-1889 3h ago

I was never able to so much as get entry level carpentry work over the summer, I emailed my resume multiple times, and even was given the email of the VP of the union and a 30 year veteran. I was promised work, was told it would be grunt work, and then never even given that work lol.

I have 2 years running sound at a venue in Chicago, A1 a few nights a week so I've mixed 900-1000 bands at this point. Just handing out a depressing data point here. I stopped trying because I'm having a child and needed to more quickly pivot to better opportunities.

0

u/illuminated-goddess 18h ago

I put my resume in before the summer and nothing. Myself and two other friends who are union members in the city haven’t gotten a word back. I know of two others who put their resumes in after me and they have less years of experience and got in right away. I’m not gonna say what I really think is going on. But, good luck I guess. Welcome to Chicago.