AQTIS 514 IATSE

What AQTIS 514 IATSE does

AQTIS 514 IATSE is a Montreal-headquartered labor union (IATSE Local 514) representing freelance audiovisual technicians in Quebec's film and television industry. Founded in 2004 and affiliated with IATSE International, the organization represents an estimated 5,000 active members working in production roles including grips, lighting technicians, camera operators, makeup artists, costume designers, sound technicians, and other crew. As a non-profit member-driven organization, AQTIS 514 IATSE is governed through an Executive Council and multiple committees covering workplace health and safety, youth issues, diversity/equity/inclusion/accessibility (DEIA), AI, and regional concerns.

The union's core offerings revolve around collective agreement administration, professional training, member benefits, and workforce intermediation. The product surface includes the SET (Système d'embauche des technicien-ne-s) hiring platform connecting members to production jobs, online Members and Production Directories, a Secure Deposit file transfer portal, and an extensive training catalog spanning 30+ courses from aerial platforms and rigging to WHMIS, fall protection, and harassment prevention. Benefits are administered through partnerships with Canada Life and Medavie Blue Cross (insurance), Industrial Alliance (retirement/RRSP/RPA-CD), EP Canada (payroll), and Maple Assistance Program (24/7 EAP). A dedicated PPE distribution warehouse operates alongside the main office. Technology infrastructure is purpose-built for member services rather than core technical innovation — no APIs, SDKs, or proprietary AI products are disclosed.

Revenue is generated through two streams: recurring membership dues from individual technicians (with reduced rates for older members) and recurring payroll contributions from production companies mandated under collective agreements. Training is provided free to members while non-members pay per-course fees (e.g., $297.50 + tax for the Stagehand course). The go-to-market motion is community-led — the union acquires members through technician enrollment, permittee programs, and collective agreement negotiations with producers, and markets primarily via its website, Facebook, and Instagram channels.

Name

AQTIS 514 IATSE

Legal name

AQTIS 514 IATSE

Website

https://aqtis514iatse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AQTIS 514 IATSE is a Montreal-based labor union (IATSE Local 514) representing approximately 5,000 freelance audiovisual technicians in Quebec's film and television industry, providing collective bargaining, training, insurance, retirement, and job placement services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Union Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Taft-Hartley / Union Multiemployer Group Health Plans (FSAIAFAG)

Keywords

• Labor union representation
• Collective bargaining services
• Professional training courses
• Audiovisual industry benefits
• Occupational health and safety

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The union collects annual membership dues from technicians. Members pay dues which fund insurance, retirement benefits, and union operations. Members over a certain age may receive reduced dues rates.
2. Payroll Contributions: Production companies make payroll contributions and deductions on behalf of union members as specified in collective agreements. These contributions fund member benefits, insurance, and retirement plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AQTIS 514 IATSE is a labor union that provides collective bargaining, professional training, insurance and retirement benefits, job placement, and occupational health and safety services to freelance audiovisual technicians in Quebec. The core offering centers on union membership, which gives technicians access to negotiated collective agreements, the SET Jobs hiring platform, a searchable members directory, training courses, group insurance, retirement planning, and payroll support. Producers engage the union to hire qualified technicians under the applicable collective agreement.

Product overview

AQTIS 514 IATSE is a Quebec-based audiovisual technicians' union (IATSE Local 514) offering a unified membership program rather than a traditional product portfolio. The core offering centers on union membership providing representation, collective agreement administration, and employment support. The organization operates several integrated member services including the SET Jobs hiring system, Members Directory, Production Directory, and secure file transfer portal. Member benefits include group insurance (Canada Life, Medavie Blue Cross), retirement planning (Canada Life, Industrial Alliance), payroll services (EP Canada), and an employee assistance program (Maple Assistance Program). Professional development is delivered through a comprehensive training course catalog covering film/TV production skills and workplace safety certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Union Membership Services Annual membership providing representation, collective agreement administration, employment insurance management, and workplace support for audiovisual technicians in Quebec.
• SET Jobs (Système d'embauche des technicien-ne-s) Technician Hiring System connecting members with film and television production job opportunities, including job applications, posting management, and archived offers.
• Professional Training Courses Professional training program offering industry certifications in film/TV production skills including aerial platforms, camera, makeup, costumes, sound, lighting, rigging, and workplace safety (WHMIS, fall protection, first aid).
• Members Directory Online directory enabling producers to search and connect with qualified technicians by department and specialty.
• Production Directory Directory of film and television productions facilitated through the union.
• Secure Deposit (Production File Transfer) Secure document portal for transferring sensitive production files between members and production companies.
• Group Insurance Benefits Group insurance coverage administered through partnerships with Canada Life and Medavie Blue Cross for union members.
• Retirement / RPA-CD Plans Retirement planning and registered retirement savings products offered to members through Canada Life and Industrial Alliance.
• Payroll Services Payroll processing support through EP Canada for collective agreement compliance with members' employment.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Employee assistance program providing 24/7 support through Maple Assistance Program, including mental health resources and counseling.
• Member Discounts and Partnerships Discount programs negotiated with industry partners for union members.
• Health and Safety Services Occupational health and safety resources including prevention training, work accident support, harassment prevention, and safe maternity guidelines.
• Collective Agreements and Salary Scales Salary scales, average wages, and collective agreement documentation for various production categories, negotiated by the union.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SAESEM (Mégot-Zéro Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cigarette butt recycling through the Mégot-Zéro program. SAESEM is an organization that manages cigarette butt collection and recycling. This partnership supports AQTIS 514 IATSE's environmental sustainability initiatives to make film sets greener.
• Canada LifecoreOthersInsurance provider for AQTIS 514 IATSE members. Provides insurance coverage as part of the union's benefits package. Also provides retirement/savings services.
• Medavie Blue CrosscoreOthersInsurance provider offering health benefits to AQTIS 514 IATSE members as part of the union's benefits package.
• Industrial Alliance (iA)coreOthersRetirement and savings provider for AQTIS 514 IATSE members, offering RRSP and other retirement planning services.
• EP CanadacoreOthersPayroll service provider for the entertainment industry in Canada. Processes payroll contributions and deductions for AQTIS 514 IATSE members.
• IATSE InternationalcoreOthersParent international union organization. AQTIS 514 IATSE is a local of IATSE, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, moving picture technicians, and affiliated trades.
• Other IATSE Locals (667/669, 634, 871, 212)minorOthersOther IATSE locals in Canada with which AQTIS 514 IATSE has reciprocal agreements regarding benefits.
• Québec CinémaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAQTIS 514 IATSE proposed and Québec Cinéma adopted the 'On tourne vert' (Rolling Green) environmental award, now presented annually at the Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma festival.
• Maple Assistance ProgramcoreOthersMember assistance program available 7 days a week, 24 hours per day. Members can register for an account or call 1-877-315-2276 for immediate assistance.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IATSE Local 871: IATSE Local 871 represents film and television production technicians in British Columbia, Canada. As the BC counterpart to AQTIS 514 under the same international union, it offers the closest direct peer comparison: same IATSE bylaws, same bargaining structure, same technician categories, and parallel member services — only differing in geographic jurisdiction.
• ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists): ACTRA is the national Canadian performers union representing actors and on-screen talent. Comparable in mandate (collective bargaining, member benefits, training, industry advocacy for entertainment-sector workers) but differentiated by talent category — ACTRA performers vs. AQTIS crew/technical.
• IATSE Local 667: IATSE Local 667 represents film and TV technicians in Ontario (Toronto/Hamilton region). Same parent union, same technician constituency, and near-identical service mix (training, benefits, job dispatch). Differentiated only by Ontario geography and slightly different production-mix emphasis.
• IATSE Local 669: IATSE Local 669 represents cinematographers across Canada. While narrower in craft focus (one technical department versus AQTIS's many), it shares the same international union, bargaining model, and benefit structure, and overlaps with AQTIS members on production crews in Quebec.
• IATSE Local 212: IATSE Local 212 represents stage and production technicians in Manitoba. A direct peer under the IATSE International umbrella with reciprocal-benefits agreements already in place with AQTIS, making it functionally a sister local serving a smaller audiovisual market.
• Directors Guild of Canada (DGC): DGC represents directors, editors, and related creative production roles across Canada's film and TV industry. Same industry, same collective-bargaining model, same benefits-administration model — overlapping with AQTIS on Quebec productions and reciprocal relationships with IATSE.

Regional players

• Union des artistes (UDA): UDA is the Quebec-based performers' union representing French-language actors and performers in the province. Highly comparable in geographic scope (Quebec-only) and organizational model to AQTIS, but serves the on-screen/performer segment rather than the technical crew segment.

Broad incumbents

• Teamsters Canada — Entertainment & Convention Division: Teamsters represents drivers, location managers, and other production logistics roles within Canadian film and TV. While a broader labor federation outside IATSE, it represents an overlapping production-services workforce on the same sets where AQTIS technicians work.
• SAG-AFTRA: SAG-AFTRA is the principal U.S. performers union. Functionally analogous to AQTIS in collective bargaining, member benefits, and training — but covers performers rather than technicians, and operates at a much larger scale across the U.S.
• NABET-CWA (National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians): NABET-CWA represents broadcast and media technicians in the U.S. and Canada. Most applicable as a precedent for technical-craft unionization, benefits administration, and training standards in audiovisual/media production — though U.S.-centric in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aqtis514iatse
• Instagraminstagram.com/aqtis514iatse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aqtis-514-iatse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AQTIS 514 IATSE