Animation Guild

Spring 2020

Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1203639

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 5 of 47

L E T T E R YOU'LL SEE MANY NEW FACES ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, BUT THOUGH THEY MIGHT BE NEW TO THE BOARD MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE GUILD. THE LEVEL OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT RANGES FROM COMMITTEE CHAIRS TO SHOP STEWARDS TO DELEGATES; SOME ARE VERY INVOLVED IN THE WIDER ANIMATION COMMUNITY BY TEACHING SKILLS CLASSES OR HAVE A CONSIDERABLE ONLINE PRESENCE THAT IS RECOGNIZED AND FOLLOWED BY OUR MEMBERS. Three of our new board members—Jack Thomas (Vice President), Laura Hohman, and K.C. Johnson (Trustee) were previous Presidents. I'm sure they will keep me on my toes. I am so happy that they have volunteered their time to make sure that this huge ship, called The Animation Guild, continues on its path toward becoming a more effective negotiator at our next round of contract talks coming up in the summer of 2021. We are committed to improving communication and transparency so that even the busiest among us know how the union is supporting our needs. Expanding our shop steward program to ensure all studios—big and small—are represented, gives us a two-way conduit to communicate and spread information more quickly and on a more personal level. We will be providing leadership and sensitivity training to all of our shop stewards so that they can be relied on as a first responder when issues come up in the workplace. Our new craft rep program, started by the Storyboard Committee co-chairs, Jake Hollander and Sydney Sharp, will allow participants to share real-time craft-specific concerns with us that can be molded into proposals for our upcoming negotiations. We are also in the initial phase of developing an app that can work seamlessly with our new member portal and database. (The database will roll out in the first quarter of 2020.) Focus groups are being conducted at various studios to hear members' needs and expectations. This new board has also approved the exploration of creating a foundation to support our members and their families with grants, scholarships, and assistance for those in need. We have hit the ground running and are laser focused to be the most prepared for what is sure to be a big battle in 2021. In Solidarity, Jeanette Moreno King | President The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839 WE ARE HERE AND READY TO WORK! ON THE COVER Iwao Takamoto, the original character designer for Scooby, shares the cover with the new incarnation of Scooby from the upcoming, Scoob! Takamoto image courtesy of Getty Images; Scoob! Scooby courtesy of Warner Bros.

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Animation Guild - Spring 2020