Our Proposed Agreement with the AMPTP

ANIMATION GUILD MEETING
September 25, 2018

at 7:00 pm

Royal Ballroom

Pickwick Gardens Conference Center

1001 Riverside Dr. Burbank, CA 91506

The TAG Negotiation Committee includes subcommittees which focus on specific topics important to the membership. The Family Leave Subcommittee has spent the past year researching and formulating proposals in support of YOU! 

Here's an overview:

We researched:
In 2017, the Family Leave Subcommittee began to explore the topic of parental leave. We researched signatory studio policies for Guild members and corporate employees; we compared these to progressive corporate, state, and federal policies in the U.S. and abroad; we found precedent in the Writers Guild parental leave policy (added in 2017); we joined parenting chat groups, read news reports and research studies, watched TED Talks on the subject; and most importantly of all, we asked Guild members to share their stories.

We learned:
We learned that family leave involves more than just parental leave - it also includes sick days/personal days, elder care, bereavement leave, and workplace lactation accommodation. We found inspiration in our members' own experiences - both the good and the bad. In the end, we concluded that creating parity between existing studio policies would ensure that all Guild members have benefits they can count on when they need them most...no matter where they happen to be working when the need arises.

We presented:
We consolidated our research into a PowerPoint presentation, in which we established solid motivation for the AMPTP to support parity of benefits between studios. Through documented data, we demonstrated that supporting family leave and personal leave can make a positive fiscal impact. Benefits include female employee retention and promotion; fewer instances of sexual harassment; fewer instances of costly presenteeism and absenteeism; more focused, productive, and healthy employees; and good PR.

We negotiated:
Over the course of five days, we negotiated with the AMPTP. Although some of our goals have not yet been met, we have made some progress in this contract negotiation cycle. The proposed agreement will be discussed tonight at the Animation Guild's general membership meeting at the Pickwick Gardens Conference Center. Please come with your questions and comments at the ready.

We continue:
We continue to support the fight for parity amongst studio benefits. There is wide public support for paid family leave in the U.S. and within the membership of the Animation Guild. The AFL-CIO supports unions negotiating improved benefits at the local level...and we will!

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