I've been a member of the IA for some fifteen years now, and have served as both Local Secretary and as Delegate to Convention, so I have a
bit of perspective on the question.
Most of the con to joining a union is the stereotype of union members (in any industry) being overpaid and lazy people who stand around arguing who's work a particular job is, and confusion over what sort of contract (or lack thereof) is needed to employ a union member. The stereotype, like all stereotypes, may have some roots in reality, but it is not an accurate depiction of the majority of IA members - most members are focused on doing the best job possible for the client, and few would consider themselves overpaid, especially given the feast-or-famine nature of the business and the variable times and conditions they're asked to work in. The contract confusion is a matter for education, and may require referring to the law in your state, since there are differences across the country.
The pros include having greater access to work within your local's jurisdiction, training and education, and the possession of a card in your pocket that proves you take your profession seriously enough to join and maintain membership in the largest association of entertainment technicians in the country. It may or may not increase your pay for present employment (it depends on the
current contract), but over time and overall the union jobs will pay more than the non-union work.
Joining the IA, from the perspective of the International, is fairly straight-forward. The International is focused on the fact that the more workers have cards, the more likely the union is to succeed in negotiating a contract, thus they generally assume that anyone who is doing the work should have a card. If you had a history of crossing picket lines as a scab worker, they might deny the application, but usually the big thing they worry about is if you still owe money from a previous period of membership or an incomplete attempt to join.
The Local Union is usually more of a hurdle for gaining membership. It is to the Local that you need to apply to for membership, and follow whatever their local procedure is. Some Locals see themselves as a 'labor union' and will welcome anyone working in the business with open arms, some see themselves as a 'craftsmen guild' and will want you to prove yourself via an apprenticeship and skills tests, and, unfortunately, a few see themselves as a closed club, and will resist attempts of outsiders to dilute the amount of union work that is available. In all three cases, the starting
point is the same - asking the Local Secretary for an application form (you can find contact information
here). There is a $100 filing fee that the International requires with all applications, plus whatever the Local requires as an initiation fee (these can be waived under certain circumstances), so make sure you ask what your particular Local will ask of you for fees, as well as the procedure.
Being asked to join a Local does not mean that membership is by invitation only - the IA is there to represent all workers in the trade. It does mean that the
current members have noticed your work and dedication, and would like you to consider joining them. It is a good sign that your application will be accepted and approved by the membership. If you're interested in joining, but haven't been directly asked, ask a member who the Secretary is, or follow the link above to find them. Once the application is approved by the International, you then need to do whatever the Local requires for testing and training, and eventually you will be voted on by the membership. Assuming the vote is positive, you are then a member for as long as you pay your dues.
As for transferring from one Local to another, the process isn't a lot different than the process for joining as a new member - you still need to contact the Secretary, pass whatever test the Local gives you, and be voted on by the membership of the destination Local. You must maintain your good standing in your original Local until the transfer is complete, and how simple or complicated the process is depends on the Locals in question.
Being a union member does not automatically exclude you from doing non-union work. By joining, you voluntarily agree to obey the Union if they tell you to turn down a certain job, but usually the Local will only do that if the employer in question is one that the Local is trying to put pressure on by denying them skilled workers, or if the pay scale is so low that it's seen as undercutting existing contracts, or if the work environment is known to be unsafe. Otherwise, union members doing the work is usually seen as a better situation than non-members doing the work, although working under a contract is the preferred situation. The size of the Local has a lot to do with the degree of flexibility they allow, with the larger Locals being more particular about working under contract. Another thought is that the more union members there are working for an employer, the easier it will be to organize that employer in the future.
Educational and community theater are a special area for the application of union rules. Most Locals have clauses in the By-Laws stating that no member should teach the craft to a non-member or work for less than scale (ie: free), but this is usually overlooked for schools and volunteer groups. Technical theater students are the sort of people the IA would like to have join, and community theater volunteers generally don't compete for the paid work. As long as your work in school or for local groups doesn't displace paid workers, most Locals won't worry about it. I know several IA members who teach theater, and I was a community theater Asst. TD when I joined. It's not a problem.
I don't think there are any laws requiring you to declare yourself as a union member when applying for jobs (might vary from state to state, though), so you could leave that piece of information off your resume if you think that it would hurt your chances for a particular job. However, I wouldn't give a false answer to a direct question during an interview.
Having a card is always more of a
foot in the door than not having a card. You will find more paths open to you with the card than without, even if it doesn't mean a slam-dunk entry into a big city job. The only caution I'd give the OP against taking the card now is his ability to keep
current on dues while he's at school - if you get dropped from membership for not paying, you have to pay the missing sum plus back dues through to the present day as a lump sum to get back in, plus be voted on again (may be a two-year cap on the back dues required, they did some changing a few years ago). If you think you'll get enough work to at least
cover the dues, it's definitely worth getting the card now.
There are a lot more ins and outs and what ifs, but this post is long enough now - feel free to ask me if you have questions or need further details.
