Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1475662
SPRING 2022 19 T H E L O C A L JUSTIN WEBER ANIMATOR, ENCANTO WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN TAG-TAG? I initially joined the group to help mobilize our membership around the IATSE Basic negotiations. After those negotiations concluded, I stayed on as the group shifted attention toward TAG negotiations. A few of us also formed a studio-specific mobilization group for our own workplace, the Walt Disney Animation Studios Tactical Action Committee, or WDAS-TAC . WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Unions should be member-driven, where the members consider themselves the Union itself—not an external entity that negotiates on their behalf. This is at the heart of what it means to be a union. As workers, we are the skilled artisans who spend our days creating amazing art through our work. We breathe life into characters that audiences around the world connect to and love to watch. We drive the profits of our employers who make billions off our work. We all deser ve to lead dignified, joyful, healthy lives, and in order to achieve that, animation workers everywhere need to mobilize to build collective power. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM BECOMING INVOLVED? I learned that 1-on-1 outreach is the most effective tool in our tool belt. One-way, indirect, informational updates, such as large meetings, newsletters, and social media posts can be useful but have declining returns on investment. It is only through having members talk directly with one another about their working conditions and working together to develop and implement strategies around mobilization, that we can build the power we need to achieve our goals. WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO SEE TAG-TAG GO IN THE FUTURE? As remote work becomes more common in animation, we will have to be creative about how to keep workers connected to each other. I hope we can continue to become more comfortable and effective with different forms of long-distance communication so we can push back against the atomization that may come from us working physically apart from each other. SAMMY SAVOS STORYBOARD ARTIST, LITTLE DEMON SHADOWMACHINE WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN TAG-TAG? I got involved in TAG-TAG when it was created during the IATSE live-action negotiations. I was learning about the awful conditions under which many people were forced to work, and how a possible strike might affect TAG, and wanted to help. There are a lot of ways I feel our life at work could be improved [in] a healthier and more humane way. For me, TAG-TAG has felt like the best way to act on those feelings and make a direct impact in trying to change the things I think could be better. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? It's crucial for members to know what's going on and know how much their voice and their actions make a difference. Our power in bargaining is directly tied to how involved and united our membership is, so TAG-TAG doing direct outreach to members, getting their thoughts and opinions and encouraging them to take action and get involved is necessary and important. For example, if those we bargain with see a massive amount of TAG members wearing our Union t-shirts over Zoom, see us posting about our support for a fair deal on social media, see us organizing together in various visible ways, they will understand that our negotiations team has the backing of the membership behind them. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM BECOMING INVOLVED? When I first joined TAG, I didn't know much about unions and didn't realize that in order for unions to function at their best, they need maximum member involvement. Originally, I was very detached, thinking that the relationship between a member and their union was transactional—i.e. you pay dues, and in return you receive benefits. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Being part of a union is a constant fight to maintain the things members before you have fought to win and to improve upon them. WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO SEE TAG-TAG GO IN THE FUTURE? Ultimately, I want our entire membership to become as informed and active as possible. I want us to have the power to make the changes we so badly need. Being active will look different for everyone! There are many ways to get involved, all with varying amounts of time commitment and expertise. If you're a TAG member and want to get involved, email mobilize@tag839 .org.