Head of Hollywood Crews Union is Expected to Resign

Thomas C. Short, the controversial head of the union representing Hollywood's film and TV crews who unified the industry's blue-collar workforce but was sharply criticized by some for being too friendly with the studios, is expected to resign as early as today.

The son of a Cleveland union leader, Short has served as president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees since 1994, heading a union that represents about 110,000 “below the line" crew members who work behind the scenes. Short is expected to announce his plans to step down today at a meeting of the IATSE's executive board in San Diego.

The panel is likely to tap Matt Loeb, one of the union's international vice presidents, as Short's successor, said people close to the IATSE who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly. He currently heads the union's film and TV production division.

Short would be stepping down a year before his four-year term expires. Delegates will formally elect a new president at the union's convention next summer. Most observers expect Loeb to get the nod.

The vice president “has big shoes to fill, but he's a smart guy who understands the business," said entertainment industry labor lawyer Howard Fabrick. Short's plan to retire early has been an open secret in Hollywood.