Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1516015
T H E L O C A L SPRING 2024 17 WHAT ARE YOUR JOB DUTIES? As a TAG Field Rep, I enforce the contracts. This means outreach to studios to deal with member misclassification or workplace issues. I participate in contract negotiations and support organizing staff in their campaigns as needed. I also work as the liaison for TAG Member Engagement (TAG ME), providing input and support, including their monthly phone/text banks to the membership. With 15 years of experience working for unions, I am deeply involved with the local labor movement and the various state and local AFL-CIO bodies that represent thousands of union members across the country. As TAG's Political Coordinator, I run the union's political program, Every three years, The Animation Guild bargains its Master Agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). These negotiations are directed by our Business Representative, Steve Kaplan, and a Negotiations Committee consisting of Guild members. Any member in good standing is eligible and can submit an "expression of interest." These submissions are then reviewed by Kaplan and the Executive Board. Kaplan says that the goal in putting the committee together is to select a group of people that represents the body of the Guild. This includes members from every craft, new members, veteran members, and members from a diversity of backgrounds. While Kaplan is officially the head of the committee, in previous negotiations he counted on the consensus of the group, saying: "It's the committee that decides what to move forward with and what to hold back on. [Because of this], the group really does need to come together as a whole and act as democratically as possible." Leading up to negotiations, the committee's job is to craft and approve proposals. These proposals are based on a variety of interactions with the membership. This includes craft town halls, to learn more about issues affecting crafts directly from the members; a survey about wages and working conditions, which helps the committee understand the issues that need to be prioritized; and connecting with committees that have been preparing for upcoming negotiations since the last contract negotiations. For this year's negotiations, expressions of interest have been submitted. With the resulting committee to represent the interests of the Guild's almost 6,000 members, Kaplan calls being on the Negotiations Committee "one of the most meaningful things a member can do." LEARN ABOUT THE COMMITTEE THAT NEGOTIATES TAG'S MASTER AGREEMENT. and putting money in their pockets or getting their hours corrected with MPI. This part of the work provides empowerment and an educational moment for our members—which I love to see. I also just enjoy interacting with our talented members and getting to know them. This helps me a lot on the Political Coordinator side when I speak with political leaders about our membership, challenges, and issues. It all ties in together. WHAT'S A FUN FACT ABOUT YOU? I'm a big animal person. I was a volunteer zookeeper for almost 30 years working with big and small wild cats (tigers, jaguars, cougars, etc.) and even traveled in cargo with a lion to Vietnam! I currently volunteer with Downtown Dog Rescue at their monthly pet clinics in South Los Angeles. including supporting the Political Action Committee for the annual Post-It Note Show fundraiser; attending California IATSE Council meetings; participating in political candidate endorsement interviews; and establishing relationships with elected officials. In 2024, I'm focusing not only on the national and local elections, but also on lobbying for programs or studio tax breaks that can keep animation jobs local and in the U.S. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB? My favorite part of the job is representing our members and making real change in their lives. When members are underpaid or misclassified, there's nothing more satisfying than getting these errors fixed NEGOTIATE LET'S