Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1521956
19 S U M M E R Q 2 I S S U E F E A T U R E A place to share stories about how members are getting through this work slowdown together. There was determination that, come what may, the industry will be back. National Executive Director Cathy Re- pola struck a tone of optimism. While she acknowledged that there was consternation about the lack of jobs, she assured mem- bers that the union would stay strong and focused on negotiations ahead. Local 700 and the other Hollywood locals are standing strong to "take an agreement back to the members that they actually want to ratify," said Repola. Last June, the board of directors ap- proved a strike fund to support members in the event of a future labor action. The board intended to make a clear commitment and voted unanimously to seed the strike fund with $250,000 to grow in an investment. However, the fund can only be accessed by members in a hypothetical IATSE general strike in a future negotiation. Board members discussed if something could be done to help members struggling to make ends meet in an industry stalled by production budget austerity — the so- called Great Contraction of Hollywood. In past years, individual board members have presented initiatives for a hardship fund. Some of these proposals immediately had majority support and others ques- tioned if it is indeed the role of the Guild to help members beyond bargaining for pay and working protections that are the tradi- tional role and jurisdiction of a union. The ultimate goal always was serving what was in the very best interest of the members. The majority opinion was that the effort was premature without further details of how such a fund could work. "There was a lack of sufficient infor- mation," Miller recalled. "A deep dive was needed." Miller took the initiative and sent out an email to her friends and colleagues — more than 350 Guild members — asking if a MPEG-specific hardship fund were to be set up, would they donate? And if so, how much? Response to the email was positive and the informal poll reported that more than $25,000 would be pledged. "I prepared all this information and presented it to the board, which voted to approve an official working group to hash out the vetting criteria for such a fund," Miller said. The work group for a hardship fund — consisting of board member volunteers assisted by Executive Administrator Lisa Dosch — went to work in the dog days of the 2023 summer strikes. They reached out to the Entertainment Community Fund which had already set up funds to support members of other IATSE locals. PERSISTENCE PAYS A s h l ey M c K i n n ey, a b o a rd m e m b e r representing assistant editors, recalls the persistence of the work group. "I had been emailing Shiran and even Cathy Repola about the idea to create a hardship fund since 2021," McKinney said. "When I joined the board, I helped Shiran push for it hard. We knew how complicated it might be, but felt it was incredibly important for the members. Giving up was not an option." On July 20 came a welcome opportunity. The non-profit organization Union Plus, founded by the AFL-CIO to support work- ers, announced a contest to award members who volunteered for not just their local but also their community. Miller submitted an application and vid- eo presentation highlighting her advocacy for fellow union kin, including spearheading the effort in the MPEG website committee to help connect members needing extra work hours for the Motion Picture Industry health plans [https://cinemontage.org/ editors-guild-website-gets-revamp-to- help-members-find-union-jobs/]. She went on to win the grand prize among thousands of entrants — a check for $40,000 [https://cinemontage.org / board-member-shiran-carolyn-amir-wins- grand-prize -in-union-plus- campaign- pledges-money-to-help-union-kin/]. "I was overwhelmed, but I knew we now had some seed money for a hardship fund," recalls Miller, who pledged publicly to donate the prize money to Guild members in need. At a special meeting in September 2023, the board of directors voted overwhelming- ly to create the hardship fund for members of Local 700. That fund is now here and ready to help MPEG members in need. After submitting an application to the Entertainment Community Fund with qual- ifying proof of financial hardship, members may be awarded $1,000. "If you are deemed eligible for financial assistance, you'll get access to this addition- al resource, just for being one of us," said Miller. "To me, that's the true meaning of union brothers, sisters and kin." McKinney expressed optimism that "the fund will help members in many different ways. $1000 doesn't seem like a whole lot up front and doesn't always cover the true cost of someone's needs, but it can at least give them a helping hand from their communi- ty," said McKinney. Looking back at extensive debate in the board, McKinney was confident that it turned out to be a positive as it strength- ened the argument and helped clarify the vision for the fund. "In everyday life, persistence is key to work in this business," said McKinney. "I don't think I've ever met anyone more persistent than Shiran. We pushed and researched and spent hours finding ways to make it happen for the members. "There were moments where it honestly felt like we failed but we used that as moti- vation to get it past the finish line," recalls McKinney. "I'm a St. Louis Blues fan, so I know that after disappointment, you pick yourself up and try again." Perhaps the many members of the Edi- tors Guild struggling in these times could, at the least, be comforted by such advice. ■ A.J. Catoline, a Local 700 board member, is a picture editor whose credits include "Ted Lasso." Here is a "one-stop-shop" of helpful resources on the MPEG website: [https://www.editorsguild.com/ Stress-Survival-Kit].