Embattled International Documentary Association Says It Will Go Along With Employee Union Drive, But Staff Seeks Proof

deadline.com:

The International Documentary Association says it has agreed to a request by staff to form a union, the latest development in a simmering conflict that has pitted the IDA board and its executive director, Rick Pérez, against rank-and-file employees.But in a sign that more conflict may yet be to come, employees behind the unionization effort say Pérez has not signed a document necessary to allow the union effort to move forward.Employees, calling themselves Documentary Workers United, had given Pérez until Tuesday morning to grant “voluntary recognition” to their group, which would operate under the Communication Workers of America Local 9003.

Pérez and the IDA board asked for two extensions on the deadline, before it sent a response to staff on Wednesday.“In the interest of moving forward and healing together,” the board and Pérez wrote, “we agree to your request to recognize the Documentary Workers United (DWU), in partnership with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9003, as the representative of an appropriate bargaining unit of employees at IDA.”It added, “…[W]e look forward to working together on next steps, including further articulating our respective roles and responsibilities and establishing processes that enable us to strengthen the IDA, grow our shared vision for a more equitable and inclusive documentary community and fulfill the organization’s essential obligations to the field.”But in a statement late Wednesday obtained exclusively by Deadline, the DWU said the pledge to recognize the union remains invalid until Pérez signs a mission statement from employees.“Representatives from the Communications Workers of America Local 9003 are reaching out to management with a Letter of Recognition