IATSE 891 Presents: Apple Box Talks

"I want the workers who have built this industry to continue to have the opportunities...this proposal we're bringing to Ottawa is worth taking seriously."Our newest guest on the Apple Box Talks podcast is Burnaby Central MP Wade Chang. A Member of Parliament since 2025, Wade's upbringing in an immigrant family taught him the values of community support and open opportunities for all, lessons that guide his work today. A supporter of our industry, Wade sponsored a petition to eliminate the federal grind for Canadian motion picture, and was recently able to go on a tour of Mammoth Studios to gain a better understanding of the work our members do. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

"Film is an important part of Burnaby. It's built into our DNA now. So we have to be sure that we, at the city level, do everything we can to help it along."Our newest guest on the Apple Box is Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley. Originally from Northern Ireland, Mayor Hurley has called Burnaby home since 1988, when he joined the Burnaby Fire Department. Always a staunch advocate of workers and the labour movement, Mike joined his first union at 17 years old!Elected as Mayor of Burnaby in 2018, Mike has also served as Vice-President and President of the Burnaby Fire Fighters Association, President of the BC Provincial Fire Fighters Association and President of the Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund — in addition to receiving the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022.Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

 "I think everyone needs to understand what the labour movement does and represents for its members. We all need to listen to each other."In honour of Labour Day on September 7, our newest episode on the Apple Box Talks podcast features Donna Sacuta, executive director of the BC Labour Heritage Centre. Starting as a volunteer and now serving as executive director, Donna has spent more than 30 years researching and writing about BC labour history. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

Today on the Apple Box we're getting to know more about the department that serves as the creative link between physical production and post-production: the artists and technicians in Visual Effects. With credits to his name such as Star Trek: Beyond, The Flash, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians, joining us today is 891 Visual Effects Department member and chair Sam Kim. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

"Pride Month is a space where we're having conversations about the whole human, not just as the worker, as the student — we're having conversations, not just about one identity but the whole of who we are, as individuals and as a community."Today we're welcoming two industry colleagues to the podcast to talk about Pride Month! Joining us today are Manager of Engagement at UBCP/ACTRA Henry Williams, and IATSE 891 Assistant Business Representative Diego Cardona. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

"We're in the kitchen, we're cooking up this blood...it's a lot of water, acrylics, paints, and thickening agents. That blood is fantastic."From the department bringing the gore, the glamour, and everything in between, our newest guest is 891 Makeup member Cory Roberts. With credits to her name including The Recruit, Batwoman, and Resident Alien, Cory shares some stories from the world of motion picture makeup, how she made her way into the industry, and the evolution of training opportunities as a Union member.Pull up a blood-stained Apple Box, and let's talk!

Our newest guest on the Apple Box is one of the country's most respected labour leaders and current IATSE Director of Canadian Affairs, John Lewis. As someone who has championed Canadian crews on Parliament Hill and broken new ground negotiating AI protections at the bargaining table, John has spent decades fighting for the artists and technicians who bring the motion picture industry to life. First elected an IATSE International Vice President in 2007, John walks the talk for IATSE members, every single day. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

Our newest guest on the Apple Box is a champion of workers' rights, committed to equity, inclusivity and ensuring that worker voices are heard at every level of government and industry. Siobhan Vipond serves as the Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress, a position to which she was first elected in 2021. Prior to her CLC election, she served four terms as Secretary-Treasurer of the Alberta Federation of Labour — and she is also a proud IATSE member! Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

Ahead of our AI Learning and Engagement Symposium, we welcome to the podcast AI expert, mathematics and technology historian, and assistant professor at the SFU School of Communication, Dr. Stephanie Dick. With a Ph. D from Harvard University and over 15 years of research experience, Stephanie examines what AI is, what it does, and how its use is changing our world, our work, and ourselves. Catch her as one of our keynote speakers at our AI Symposium, but first, pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!

**WARNING: This podcast features topics that may be distressing for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.**Welcome to Season 3 of Apple Box Talks! Our first guest is IATSE Local One member, Kayleigh Truman. Currently a Ph.D. student studying Labor and Industrial relations, Kayleigh is a mental health first aid instructor, and proud activist based in New York City. Currently working on their second Master's thesis titled, "Three Identities in a Trenchcoat. How Neurodivergent Entertainment Workers Navigate the Entertainment Industry," Kayleigh is a big proponent of labour education and has developed multiple mental health workshops based on their research. Pull up an Apple Box, and let's talk!If you or someone you know needs mental health support, please see the following resources: Suicide Crisis Helpline — Call or text 9-8-8 BC Crisis Centre — Call 1-800-784-2433 Talk Suicide Canada  — Call 1-833-456-4566 or Text 45645 Trans Lifeline (operators are all transgender) — Call 1-877-330-6366 Indian Residential School Survivors Society —  Call 1-800-721-0066 or 1-866-925-4419 891 members and their families can access free mental health counselling anytime through the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) — call 1-800-667-0993 or request services online here