Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1120864
Here we are at the cusp of summer! Our Southern California winter's rains gifted us with super blooms and lovely, long yet still cool days as the school year barrels to a close. It brings daydreams of sunny beach trips, mountainside camping, and poolside BBQ's with family and friends. Here in Animation Land, our television May sweeps episodes have wrapped and feature summer blockbusters are in the can, so we can all relax, right? There's no mandatory overtime or non-traditional delivery systems or compressed schedules...right? The idyllic summer image is where we'd love to be, but it can be a challenge to squeeze it in between deadlines at work, schedules at home, bills to pay, the national political news, our relationships to nurture, volunteering, the expectations we put on ourselves, the desire to create, and our sanity to preserve. Journalist Chitra Ramaswamy observed that "stress is what happens when we're not supported to do what needs to be done." Sometimes we need to allow ourselves a peaceful moment, evaluate the resources available to us, then re-center over our support pillars or build new ones. Don't forget that you are a union member; your Guild is one of your supports. In addition to contracted benefits like health care, pension plans, and the grievance procedure, you have a community to reach out to. The Guild office's two new Field Reps Steve Kaplan and Leslie Simmons can provide assistance and knowledge. Attend a General Membership Meeting or other Guild event to network and ask questions. Take classes to expand your skills. Explore mptf.com or Optum's liveandworkwell.com (if you are an MPI PPO member), with $5 co-pays for therapy and a myriad of additional services for everyone in your household! These assist with behavioral health coverage, legal and financial services, and consultation on many other work/life issues. Attend a "Lunch & Learn" or suggest a topic for one. Past ones include Estate Planning, Organizing Your Cause for Negotiations, and What to Expect When You're Expecting in Animation. All it takes is one person's question to spur an event—that person can be you! Check out our Political Action Committee or the IATSE PAC. Utilize the 401k plan—you can start with contributions as low as 2 percent of your paycheck. Every little bit helps. And always remember, you are not alone. So take that moment, make a plan, and include the Guild. Don't forget the importance of those summer getaways for recharging, and along the way I hope you enjoy this issue of Keyframe celebrating the wonderful, crazy industry we call home. In Solidarity, KC Johnson | President GET CENTERED THIS SUMMER ON THE COVER The Iron Giant turns 20 L E T T E R Licensed by: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved