Las Vegas union preps workers for jobs at two major movie studios

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A local union representing thousands of Las Vegas technicians, stage workers and craftspeople is gearing up its members to work for major movie studios that plan to move to Nevada.

FOX5 has told you how Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. Discovery announced investments at two sites across the Las Vegas Valley, pledging to bring hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure and tens of thousands of jobs—if the Nevada Legislature approves tax credits for each company.

“Las Vegas is always reinventing itself, and when movie studios come into town, we’re going to have a lot of members that are going to be working and in the movie studios,” said IATSE Local 720 President Phil Jaynes.

A range of skilled workers in the local union are tasked with bringing conventions, live shows and films to life across the Entertainment Capital of the World. Local 720 has 2,000 members, with 2,000 other workers that get jobs through the union hall.

Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. already have employment contracts with IATSE, Jaynes said.

Sony Pictures CEO and Chairman Tony Vinciquerra told a Las Vegas crowd at Caesars Forum that he’s been in touch with IATSE leadership about how to transition local workers for productions.

“There’s a great workforce already here that can be transitioned into crews for television and film production,” Vinciquerra said to FOX5.

The project will bring 18,000 jobs, Vinciquerra said.

Warner Bros. Studios Nevada announced its project at at UNLV’s Harry Reid Research & Technology Park would bring 7,500 jobs a year.

There are two proposed pieces to legislation to provide tax credits to Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. Discovery. Each proposal mandates workforce development and work with local colleges and universities to train students for jobs.

“We’re getting our members, getting them ready, getting them excited about it, getting them trained up,” said Jaynes, who is collaborating with State Senator Roberta Lange on the proposed legislation that is set to provide tax credits to Warner Bros.

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