Teamsters agent stands up to challenges

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/yb/145588900

By Robbie Dingeman, The Honolulu Advertiser

May 30--Jeanne Ishikawa started her career in television news in Boston, returned to Hawai'i to work at KHON news before switching to film and video production, and then shifted to a wide variety of behind-the-scenes jobs in movies and television.

Her latest job sometimes still takes her to movie sets, but not as a driver, producer or coordinator. Now she represents the drivers, focusing on their working conditions.

"Currently, I cover the movie industry and also the construction industry," she said. "The main thing of a business agent is to protect our contract and support our members."

Hawaii Local 996 has about 6,000 members statewide, including drivers for Ameron, Hawaiian Cement and B and C Trucking, as well as the movie industry. Ishikawa's resume also shows a wide range of roles on films shot in Hawai'i: "50 First Dates," "Planet of the Apes," "Jurassic Park" and "Jurassic Park II," "Godzilla" and "Picture Bride." She started as a driver but has worked a variety of production jobs.

She's still a Teamsters member herself, which began from the first time she worked as a driver on a movie set in 1992 on "Jurassic Park," an assignment that added a "mind-blowing experience" toward the end when Hurricane Iniki hit the island hard.

Members helped clean up and get most of the crew off the island to ease the burden on the lifelines.

FULL story at link.