IATSE Local 52
IATSE Local 52 is a chartered IATSE labor union representing approximately 3,680 motion picture studio mechanics across seven crafts in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. Founded in 1924 as the world's first Motion Picture Local, it provides collective bargaining, supplemental benefits, and safety training.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1924
- HeadquartersAstoria, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What IATSE Local 52 does
IATSE Local 52 is a chartered labor union local of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), representing approximately 3,680 motion picture studio mechanics and craft workers across the Northeastern United States. Founded in 1924 as the first Motion Picture Local in the world, its jurisdiction covers New York State, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania (excluding a 50-mile radius around Pittsburgh), and Connecticut. The union serves seven craft departments — Property, Grip, Electric, Shop Craft, Sound, Video, and Allied/Medic — and is led by President Christopher J. De Titta, who has served for over 40 years, with HR operations run by Mary Tonkin and Jeanne Stewart.
The union provides collective bargaining representation, standardized working rules and conditions, supplemental welfare and retirement benefits (disability, family leave, retirement, death benefits), and continuing education and safety certification through the Education and Safety Trust Fund, an ERISA trust established in July 1998. Membership is acquired either through a vested procedure that requires proof of pension vesting and qualifying craft work experience, or through periodic open application periods that involve passing practical and written craft exams. The organization does not develop proprietary technology; its core infrastructure is the union hall at 19-02 Steinway St. in Astoria, NY, where members access in-person services.
Revenue is generated entirely through member-related fees rather than commercial product sales: a $4,200 initiation fee, $69 in quarterly dues and insurance (~$276/year per member), a one-time $10 benefit fund donation, and non-member filing fees of $1,000 for general crafts or $150 for Medic/Allied crafts. Distribution is direct-to-member through the union hall and email; the website serves as the top-of-funnel channel for prospective applicants. The union's parent is IATSE, a nonprofit international federation.
IATSE Local 52 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IATSE Local 52
- Legal name
- IATSE Local 52
- Website
- https://iatselocal52.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1924
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- IATSE Local 52 is a chartered IATSE labor union representing approximately 3,680 motion picture studio mechanics across seven crafts in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. Founded in 1924 as the world's first Motion Picture Local, it provides collective bargaining, supplemental benefits, and safety training.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IATSE Local 52 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Motion Picture Trade Union Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Crew & Labor Services (Production Staff, Unions, Payroll) (MPADAFAA)
Keywords
Where IATSE Local 52 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Astoria
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
IATSE Local 52 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues and Fees: IATSE Local 52 generates revenue through membership fees including initiation fees ($4,200), quarterly dues and insurance ($69 per quarter), and one-time benefit fund donations ($10). Non-member applicants pay filing fees ($1,000 for general crafts, $150 for Medic/Allied crafts) to apply for membership and take craft exams.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | General Crafts Filing Fee |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Medic and Allied Crafts Filing Fee |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Membership Initiation and Dues |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
IATSE Local 52 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IATSE Local 52 is a regional labor union that represents motion picture studio mechanics — including property, grip, electric, shop craft, sound, video, and allied/medic crafts — across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Pennsylvania (excluding Pittsburgh). It negotiates collective bargaining agreements with film and television employers, dispatches qualified members to productions, and provides member representation, benefits administration, and craft training.
Product overview
IATSE Local 52 is a labor union representing motion picture studio mechanics. The union provides membership services to workers in seven craft departments: Property, Grip, Electric, Shop Craft, Sound, Video, and Allied/Medic. The organization offers supplemental welfare and retirement benefits including disability benefits, family leave benefits, retirement benefits, and death benefits to members in good standing. The union also provides educational training through its Education and Safety Trust Fund, including seminars and safety certification classes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Collective Bargaining Representation
Companies that use IATSE Local 52
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
IATSE Local 52 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
IATSE Local 52 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights4 records
IATSE Local 52 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SAG-AFTRA: Larger entertainment industry union representing actors, broadcasters, and recording artists. While not a direct craft peer, SAG-AFTRA shares the same production-industry collective bargaining ecosystem and frequently coordinates with IATSE on strike actions and contract negotiations.
- Directors Guild of America (DGA): Labor union representing directors, unit production managers, and assistant directors in film and television. Comparable as a major entertainment industry union with parallel collective bargaining structure for production-side workers.
- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE): Parent international union and the largest union representing workers in the entertainment industry. Comparable as the umbrella organization to which Local 52 is chartered, providing shared collective bargaining frameworks and benefit programs.
Direct peers
- IATSE Local 80 (Studio Grips and Lighting Technicians): Sister IATSE local representing grips and lighting technicians in the Hollywood area. Most directly comparable in craft composition (grips, electricians) to Local 52's grip and electric departments, operating under the same union parent.
- IATSE Local 728 (Studio Electrical Lighting Technicians): IATSE local covering electricians and lighting technicians in the Hollywood/LA region. Directly comparable as a specialized craft local under IATSE, with similar membership dues structure and production-industry focus.
- IATSE Local 476 (formerly NABET Local 15): IATSE local that absorbed NABET broadcast technicians in the NYC area. Directly comparable organizational structure and craft mix, and historically significant as Local 52 absorbed a related NABET local in 1990.
- IATSE Local 871 (Script Supervisors and Production Office Coordinators): IATSE local representing script supervisors and production office personnel in LA. Directly comparable IATSE structure with similar craft membership, dues, and collective bargaining model.
- IATSE Local 706 (Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Guild): IATSE local representing makeup artists and hairstylists in film/TV production. Comparable as a chartered IATSE craft local with similar dues structure, collective bargaining, and training programs.
- IATSE Local 600 (International Cinematographers Guild): IATSE sister local representing cinematographers and camera crews on the West Coast. Directly comparable as a chartered IATSE local covering film production crew, with similar collective bargaining structure and craft representation model.
- Teamsters Local 817 (Motion Picture and Theatrical Trade Division): Teamsters local covering drivers, location managers, and production support staff in the NYC/northeast film industry. Directly comparable as a labor union with overlapping jurisdiction on film productions in the same geographic region as Local 52.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
IATSE Local 52 social profiles
Digital presenceIATSE Local 52 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IATSE Local 52 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
IATSE Local 52 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IATSE Local 52 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IATSE Local 52
What does IATSE Local 52 do?
IATSE Local 52 is a regional labor union that represents motion picture studio mechanics — including property, grip, electric, shop craft, sound, video, and allied/medic crafts — across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Pennsylvania (excluding Pittsburgh). It negotiates collective bargaining agreements with film and television employers, dispatches qualified members to productions, and provides member representation, benefits administration, and craft training.
Is IATSE Local 52 a public or private company?
IATSE Local 52 is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was IATSE Local 52 founded?
IATSE Local 52 was founded in 1924. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is IATSE Local 52 based?
IATSE Local 52 is headquartered in Astoria, United States, in the North America region.
How does IATSE Local 52 make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Dues and Fees.
Who are IATSE Local 52's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SAG-AFTRA, Directors Guild of America (DGA) and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Direct peers are IATSE Local 80 (Studio Grips and Lighting Technicians), IATSE Local 728 (Studio Electrical Lighting Technicians), IATSE Local 476 (formerly NABET Local 15), IATSE Local 871 (Script Supervisors and Production Office Coordinators), IATSE Local 706 (Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Guild), IATSE Local 600 (International Cinematographers Guild) and Teamsters Local 817 (Motion Picture and Theatrical Trade Division).
Does IATSE Local 52 have an API?
No public API is recorded for IATSE Local 52.
What industry is IATSE Local 52 in?
IATSE Local 52's product category is Motion Picture Trade Union Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAFAA, Crew & Labor Services (Production Staff, Unions, Payroll). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 7361.