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Extra union organizers told to get off the set

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It isn’t easy being a movie star.

The Professional Association of Canadian Talent, in the middle of an organizing drive to represent film extras across the country, has filed a complaint with the Ontario Labour Relations Board against Carfax Productions.

PACT says Carfax, a film production company, banned active union members from the set of D2K, currently being shot in T.O.

“I guess the gauntlet has been thrown,”says Dan Oldfield, PACT’s staff rep at the Canadian Media Guild.

PACT says several extras’ agents were told by D2K casting agent Kriztina Meuring that she didn’t want any PACT folk on set.

“What I said,” says Meuring, “was that I don’t want any unprofessional people or behaviours.”

Meuring says the instructions to weed out certain PACT members came from D2K’s production manager, Brian Campbell, after other films reported “incidents” including union biz being conducted on set and group demands being made during shoots.

But Carfax Productions’ rep at the Canadian Film and Television Production Association, John Barrack, says D2K’s producers thought they were obliged not to hire PACT members by the Independent Production Agreement with ACTRA, which currently “officially” represents all performers, including extras.

ACTRA Toronto’s Alex Gill says PACT isn’t a recognized bargaining union, so there is no conflict.

“They must be thinking PACT is a rival union,” he says.

Extra union organizers told to get off the set

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