RESEARCH

This project, led by NABET 700-M UNIFOR in collaboration with York University researchers, aims to better understand the demographic makeup and work experiences of NABET members and permittees. It includes two key components: a statistical survey for all members and permittees, and an interview survey focusing on the experiences of BIPOC women-identifying film technicians. The results will help improve labour practices on union sets and inform educational programs on anti-racism, anti-harassment, and labour rights.

The project is supported by the NABET BIWOC Committee, executive board, and funded by the SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant, with in-kind contributions from NABET 700-M UNIFOR.

PROJECT TEAM

Bernice Manalo and York University researchers will lead the statistical survey. The interview survey will be carried out by York University researchers only.  

MEMBERSHIP SURVEY

Overview

  • This project aims to better understand the demographics and work experiences of NABET 700-M UNIFOR members and permittees. It includes two parts: 1) a statistical survey for all members and permittees, and 2) interviews focused on the experiences of BIPOC women-identifying film technicians. The findings will support more equitable labour practices and inform educational programs on anti-racism, anti-harassment, and labour rights.

  • This project is a NABET 700-M UNIFOR BIWOC Committee initiative, supported by the NABET executive board and conducted in partnership with researchers from York University. The statistical survey will be led by Bernice Manalo and York researchers, while the interview survey will be conducted solely by the York team.

  • The project is primarily funded by a SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant. NABET 700-M UNIFOR will provide in-kind support (e.g., office assistance and meeting space) and a small financial contribution from the BIWOC Committee’s approved operating budget (e.g., survey draw prizes).

the Membership Survey

  • The survey aims to help NABET better understand its membership and workplace experiences. Knowing who our members are allows us to improve services, address concerns, and ensure effective representation. It will also assess the impact of current outreach, training, and sponsorship efforts, and how new members engage with the union. The project will leave us with tools to run future surveys and track trends over time.

  • Survey questions will ask about members’ employment experiences, participation in the union, workplace related challenges, and demographic data such as gender, language, ethnicity, race, sexuality, and age.

  • The survey will be emailed, but responses are anonymous and not linked to email addresses or personal identifiers. A separate list of participants will be used for a prize draw, with no connection to survey answers. Only the NABET office and York University researchers will access this list, which will be destroyed after the draw.

  • The data from the membership survey will be stored electronically in a secure server at NABET, presented in a collective description.

  • The survey aims to capture a representative snapshot of NABET 700-M UNIFOR’s membership. Since it's difficult to survey all 2,600+ technicians, we’re asking a randomly selected sample of members and permittees to participate. This approach reduces self-selection bias and allows us to draw meaningful conclusions about the broader membership.

  • The research team uses random sampling to select 380 survey participants from the full mailing list of members and permittees. Each person is assigned a unique number, and selections are made using a random number generator to ensure a representative sample.

  • Survey findings will be shared with all members through digital snapshots and a research report. The results will help improve union services and guide policies on training, benefits, sponsorship, and outreach by highlighting the local’s demographic makeup. Participants will be entered into a draw to win one of three $100 gift cards as a thank-you.

THE INTERVIEW

  • While the survey captures overall member experiences, interviews will focus on BIPOC women in the union. These aim to highlight structural barriers and discrimination, and deepen understanding of the challenges faced by historically marginalized workers in the screen industry.

  • We are looking for interview participants who self-identify as BIPOC and women technicians with a minimum of five years of professional experiences in any of our 14 departments.  

  • Interviews will be carried out by the York University researchers – Principal Investigator Tracy Ying Zhang and research assistants Lokchi Lam and Angela Stigliano.

  • Interviews will either be in-person or over Zoom and will be digitally voice recorded with participant permission. No video conferencing recording function will be used.

  • While NABET partners will help with recruitment, only the Principal Investigator, Dr. Tracy Ying Zhang, will be contacted directly by participants via email. NABET will not know who participates. All data will be anonymized and securely stored on an encrypted server at York University, accessible only to the research team.

  • Participants in the interviews will be asked for two sessions. The first session is estimated to take about 30-40 minutes, and the second will be about 90 minutes. The two interviews will be about a month apart.

  • You can withdraw at any time. Interview questions will be shared in advance, and you'll have a chance to review and remove any information at the end. Even after completing both interviews, you can still request to have your data excluded from the study.

  • Participants can share their views and concerns on the research topic. Each will receive a $100 honorarium ($50 per interview). The findings will inform a report and recommendations to help the union create professional development and workplace interventions for BIPOC women members. Participants will receive a digital copy of the report.

By clicking the red button below, you confirm that you’ve reviewed the consent form, understand the survey, and agree to participate in the 2025 Membership Survey.