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Motion to Reconsider a Previously Adopted Motion

Alexandra Drosu / February 16, 2024

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MOTION TO RECONSIDER

Changes are bolded

We motion to adopt this resolution as follows:

RESOLUTION TO RELEASE STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF A CEASEFIRE

Presented at The Animation Guild General Membership Meeting on January 30th, 2024

WHEREAS For over 100 days, the Israeli military has enacted relentless violence on Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and other illegally occupied territories. Whereas additionally, the United States Government continues to finance the shipment and delivery of weapons that perpetuates this violence (1;2); and

WHEREAS, Over 200 Labor Unions across the continent have joined the groundswell of global solidarity and have released or signed onto statements calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza (3;4;7); and

WHEREAS The Animation Guild, as a member of AFL-CIO, abides by its constitution, including Article II Objectives and Principles, section 8:

“To give constructive aid in promoting the cause of peace and freedom in the world and to aid, assist and cooperate with free and democratic labor movements throughout the world…”;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the assembled members of The Animation Guild IATSE Local 839 on this February 20th, 2024 direct our Union to release the below agreed upon statement, drafted by fellow members of The Animation Guild, publicly by March,1st 2024.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we direct our Union to release the below statement, on the guild official website, all-Union social media, in coordination with Union communication and legal, and notify all appropriate press contacts within one week of this statement’s release; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that The Animation Guild sign on to “The US Labor Movement Calls for Ceasefire in Israel and Palestine” petition.

STATEMENT FOR RELEASE:

We come together, members of IATSE Local 839, The Animation Guild, mourning the loss of so many lives in Israel, Palestine, and Gaza. We are calling upon President Joe Biden and Congress to push for an immediate ceasefire and end to the siege of Gaza. The endless bloodshed and killing of civilians, men, women, and children must stop! We cannot bomb our way to peace. We condemn any hate crimes against any person – Muslim, Jewish, Christian, or anyone else. Witnessing the deaths of so many, including children who are full of potential, full of love and life, do not deserve to have their lives snuffed out. They do not deserve to have their days filled with fear, death, hunger and terror. We are standing in solidarity to call for the violence to end.

The Animation Guild, Local 839 of IATSE, calls for the following:

  • An immediate and permanent ceasefire;
  • The safe release of all hostages, both Israeli and Palestinian, including those that are currently held without a due judicial process under the protection of international law;
  • An end to the occupation of Palestinian land, and restoration of water, fuel, food, power, and other humanitarian aid into Gaza;
  • For our representatives in the United States government to end the horrors in Gaza and occupied Palestinian territories. The United States must honor its mission as a member of the United Nations to uphold adherence to international humanitarian law and ICJ rulings, to prevent genocide(5);
  • To denounce the pervasive censorship and penalizing against those in Hollywood that are speaking out against these horrors in solidarity with Palestine or Israel. Freedom of speech and expression is vital for creating authentic art and must not be stifled (6);
  • To demand that all involved parties do everything possible in the direction of achieving peace.

The Animation Guild holds the livelihoods of children near and dear to us. Through our work we pour our hearts and souls into media that hopefully brings joy, hope and love to anyone who enjoys it. As a Union, we’re familiar with fear of retaliation for standing up and voicing our beliefs with the Red Scare in the 1950’s – the silencing and retaliation that made our solidarity weak. We want to act not out of a place of fear, but one of love and understanding.

A non-statement, abstention, and a desire to continue the killing all result in the same. We stand together for people against systems of oppression that seek to keep us weak and docile in the face of the violence that is being committed daily. We have to do everything we can to push back because all people deserve to live freely. We are standing with millions globally in solidarity demanding a ceasefire now. We must make our voices heard. Together, we can stand for peace, justice, and a better future for humanity.

Solidarity forever,

The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839

  1. Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. “Statistics on the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip (07 October – 19 January 2024).” Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, 19 January 2024, https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6103/Statistics-on-the-Israeli-attack-on-the-Gaza-Strip-%2807-October—19-January-2024%29. Accessed 23 January 2024.
  2. Knutson, Jacob. “U.S. aid to Israel: How much money the U.S. gives per year — and why.” Axios, 4 November 2023, https://www.axios.com/2023/11/04/us-israel-aid-military-funding-chart. Accessed 23 January 2024.
  3. CLC. “CLC Statement on Israel-Palestine.” Canadian Labour Congress, 5 June 2017, https://canadianlabour.ca/news-news-archive-clc-statement-israel-palestine/. Accessed 23 January 2024.
  4. Weiss, Laura. “Labor unions make unprecedented calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.” Prism Reports, 22 January 2024, https://prismreports.org/2024/01/22/labor-unions-unprecedented-calls-ceasefire-gaza/. Accessed 23 January 2024.
  5. ICJ. “Order of 26 January 2024.” APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE IN THE GAZA STRIP, vol. Order of 26 January 2024, no. 1, 2024, pp. 1-29. Order of 26 January 2024, https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240126-ord-01-00-en.pdf.
  6. Ruberg, Sara. “Cut from projects, dropped by agents: How the Israel-Hamas war is dividing Hollywood.” NBC News, 2 December 2023, https://www.nbcnews.com/business/israel-hamas-war-dividing-hollywood-rcna124189. Accessed 23 January 2024
  7. Jeff Schuhrke. “Unions Must Go Beyond Calling For a Cease-fire in Gaza.” Jacobin Magazine, Feb 13th 2024 https://jacobin.com/2024/02/us-labor-movement-gaza-cease-fire-action#:~:text=The%20move%20came%20after%20over,(NNU)%2International
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