So you have decided to head to NYC to pursue your wardrobe career! Congratulations. Now you might be wondering how to join IATSE Local 764.
Major cities are some of the best places to work backstage. You can typically expect a safer environment with more worker protection because of the local unions.
While working in NYC, you might start to wonder if you should join the Wardrobe Union! The wardrobe union in NYC is Local 764. You will need to register for 764 before/as soon as you start working shifts on a show that is on a 764 contract.
You might have some questions about joining the union. We hope to answer all these questions and more to make sure your journey into 764 is a smooth one!
**Note: We are not affiliated with or sponsored by The Wardrobe Union Local 764 in any way!
Why Would I Want to Join 764?
While working in theatre, it can be hard to know what your rights are. It can be hard to know if you are being mistreated. By being a part of the union, you will be given a contract that has fairly clear wording pertaining to what you should/ should not be asked to do while on the job.
764 also has benefits so that you will receive health insurance and retirement accounts that you will pay into during your jobs. Being a part of the union also means that there is a minimum salary that shows are allowed to pay you for your work. So as you jump between shows, you will be able to count on how much you will make per hour/ per shift.
Why join a union?
As a worker who is part of a union, you will be given the opportunity to regularly collectively bargain with the powers that be on Broadway. Collective bargaining gives more power to the worker than you would have if you were negotiating your contract alone. A union acts as a middle man between a worker and their employer, as a lawyer might.
Even small greivences, such as a missed meal penalty, don’t have to be argued by the worker, and instead can be passed to your union office to sort out.
Who Does 764 Represent?
764 represents wardrobe workers and child guardians in NYC and surrounding areas. All wardrobe workers are represented by 764– from supervisors to dressers, day workers to stitchers. If you are working backstage on a Broadway show, you should be represented by a union.
In addition to theatre, most union film and TV work in and around NYC also fall under the 764 contract.
What Does it Cost to Join IATSE Local 764?
While the upfront fees to get into Local 764 might feel steep, after you are sworn in, the costs are fairly minimal.
Costs Before Swearing in
You will have to pay:
1) Registration fee ($100)
2) Initiation Fee ($1000)
Total: $1100
The good news is that these two fees will probably be a couple months apart. Also, you will be making at least* 31 days (at minimum, 124 hours) of 764 contract pay before you have to worry about the Initiation Fee.
*Sometimes, it might take a little while for the fact that you’ve worked your 31 days to register in the unions database. This is because you might finish your 31 days in the middle of a pay period, and it won’t be reported to the show until that pay period ends. Then, it has to be reported further to the union. All this is to say, don’t be alarmed if it takes the union office a couple weeks past your 31 days to register you are ready to be sworn in.
Regular Costs for Maintaining Your Union Card
- Quarterly IA dues are $63.00 ($252.00 per year)
- Local Work Dues are 2% of gross salary. These will come straight out of your paycheck in the same way that your taxes or health insurance does.
What are the Prerequisites to Join 764?
- Be 18 years old or older.
- Live within 50 miles of Columbus Circle or on Long Island.
- Have lived in the required jurisdiction stated in #2 for at least 18 months.
I Know Someone who Joined the Union After Living in NYC for Only 6 Months Though!
There are ways that you can surpass the 18-month residency requirement.
One of the most common ways is if you are offered a job by a supervisor on a 764 contract.
After this happens, you can reach out to the union office, and they will guide you through the next steps.
Do You Have to be a Member of 764 to Work Off-Broadway?
In most cases, no!
Most Off-Broadway venues are considered non-union!
Some long-running Off-Broadway shows might decide to join 764, but if they are union, they will make it fairly clear. New Off-Broadway shows won’t typically be union. It’s usually the long running shows that have been open for years.
Unlike other Entertainment Unions, you are still allowed to work non-union jobs after you join 764. However, non-union jobs will not pay into your union benefits and the salaries and stipends will be decided by the specific company you are working with.
Step-By-Step How to Apply to IATSE Local 764
Step 1: Prerequisites
Are you 18 or older?
Have you lived within 50 miles of Columbus Circle in NYC for at least 18 months?
If you have answered ‘yes’ to both of these questions, you have passed both of the prerequisites to join 764!
Step 2: Inquire
Head to the official 764 website to inquire about joining the union! There are two options on this page,
- Inquire About Membership– This option will prompt you to enter basic information like your name and address.
WAIT 5-14 business days…
THEN, if you are approved, the union will email you instructions regarding how to submit your application materials. - Already Working– If you are already offered a job that is on a 764 contract, click this option. This selection requests more information from you beyond the basics. You will be required to provide your proof of residency, as well as information for the supervisor who hired you.
Then, The 764 office will contact you regarding the next steps in your application process.
Step 3: Submit Professional Materials
Within 2 weeks of initially reaching out to the Union with your inquiry, you might be asked to proceed with your application. At this point, you may be asked to send in your wardrobe resume, 3 professional letters of reference, and proof of residency in the jurisdiction for 18 months.
The union will review these materials to see what your education and work background is. They will take into consideration how much experience you have in the industry. They will also take into consideration who your references are (references from current 764 members will score you points!)
Step 4: Waiting Period
After submitting the previous materials, you may need to wait up to 30 days while the union office reviews your application.
If your application has been approved, the office will contact you with information on how to proceed.
Step 5: Registration Fee
At this point, you will have to pay your registration fee ($100).
Step 6: Work!
After your registration fee is paid, it’s time to start looking for a union job if you don’t already have one.
To complete your union registration period, you have to work 31 shifts on a union contract. These shifts don’t have to be consecutive days, or even on the same show.
Step 7: Initiation Fee
Congrats on getting onto your first union show and working 31 days! You are now in the home stretch.
To be officially in the union, and recieve your union card, you have to now pay your initiation fee ($1000). This is a one-time fee, and you cannot get sworn in until you pay it.
Step 8: Get Sworn in
Once your initiation fee is paid, you will be given a date by the office on which you will be sworn in at a membership meeting! Welcome to the union!!
At your swearing in, you will be given a binder that contains information about the union and the benefits it offers!
Do I have to Take a Test to Join 764?
No! Once you send in all your materials/ pay all your dues, there is no formal test that can keep you from joining the union.
This is different from Local 1 as well as other wardrobe unions across the country!
What Happens After I apply?
After you send your application materials, it can take some time to hear back from the union. If it has been over 30 days since you submitted your application, and you haven’t heard anything yet, feel free to reach out to see what is happening. There is a possibility that your application could have been declined for a number of reasons.
If this happens, you can still attempt to get in by being hired by a supervisor on a 764 contract.
If your application is accepted and you pay the registration fee, you officially become “registered” for the union. This means you are kind of in your trial period– you can work union jobs, and you will make union pay, but you will not yet have the benefits.
If you have registered with Local 764 and are working, but have not a) worked 31 days b) paid your initiation fee (in full) c) been sworn into membership, you are an applicant.
To be an official member, you must work 31 days, pay the initiation fee, be sworn in, and receive your Local 764 membership card.
When Can I Start Receiving Health Insurance from 764?
You will typically be able to start qualifying for the Local 764 health plan at the start of the insurance quarter after you are sworn in.
I Just Moved to NYC. Why Would I Wait to Join the Union?
You a fully correct in thinking that you could technically move to New York City and immediately work your way into Local 764. This has definitely been done by many people before.
However, there is something to be said about the professional growth that you can achieve during an Off-Broadway experience. If you are brand new to NYC, working a couple Off-Broadway contracts will provide an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of wardrobe work in NYC. Because, talking from experience, it is very different than wardrobe work anywhere else.
When you finally receive union work, the first time you work with a supervisor can be considered a “trial run” to see if they want to keep calling you for shows in the future. Often, the productions happening on Broadway are so large, people might not have to time to teach you exactly how to do the job. (You may be trained how to do something, but training and teaching are very different). So by the time you are making Broadway connections, you want to already know the skills needed to make you an indispensable player on a team.
Figuring out how to get into the union can be tricky! Especially since it might be hard to connect with anyone who is in the union before you are able to join.
Do you have any other burning questions about joining Local 764? Let us know in the comments!
