TAG’s MPI health insurance plans offer numerous wellness benefits. For those with Anthem BlueCross, Kaiser Permanente, and Health Net, members are eligible for Active&Fit which offers $25/month or significantly discounted rates for gyms and fitness clubs. The process to join a gym is different for each provider. To find out what gyms and fitness clubs are…

The new year brings good news for TAG members and their 401k plans. A few changes mean opportunities to save more money. Following are these changes as well as advice and information on enrolling if you haven’t already. 2023 Contribution Increase Increasing by $2,000, the CAP for 2023 contribution limits is now $22,500. This is…

For years, Animation Guild members who subscribed to the Anthem Blue Cross Active PPO plan were required to receive their annual comprehensive physical exam at one of six UCLA Health Centers. The requirement has changed. Yes, you can now see any doctor for your annual physical; however, there are additional costs with not using a…

Tell us a little about your professional journey. My IATSE origin story begins like all good origin stories: in New Jersey. I was a sound engineer for a New Jersey venue, and though my position was not union-represented at the time (it has since become so, yay!), other backstage stagehand positions were. I experienced a…

On September 27, 2022, James Stewart, a professional registered parliamentarian, spoke about how and why to use Parliamentary Procedure during Union meetings, the relationship between Parliamentary Procedure and our bylaws, and more. The talk was hosted by the Young Workers Committee whose chair, Nora Meeks, introduced Stewart. Parliamentary Procedure, also known as Rules of Order,…

On August 24, Lori Rubinstein, Executive Director of Behind the Scenes, shared tools, resources, and information about mental health care and suicide prevention specifically for IATSE and entertainment industry workers and their families. Launched in 2019, Behind the Scenes is a mental health and suicide prevention initiative with a focus on the unique nature of…

On August 11 and 12, animation workers at Titmouse New York and production animation workers at Titmouse Los Angeles will begin separate negotiations for their first Union contracts with The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839. These efforts mark a significant milestone for TAG and animation industry workers. They will also designate Titmouse as a…

On July 15, Bud Green, a retirement plan consultant from SageView Advisory Group, provided an overview of 401(k) plans including information on plans available to TAG members. Green’s presentation included what types of plans to choose at specific ages, what to invest, taxes, the market, and more. Your goal should be to have enough money…

The LA Fed has shared an important alert from SEIU-UHW. The healthcare worker members of SEIU-UHW recently won a $25 minimum wage for private sector healthcare workers in the cities of Los Angeles and Downey. In an attempt to overturn this hard-won victory, hospital corporate executives are collecting signatures for a referendum to repeal the minimum wage law….

On June 15, Executive Board Director Paula Spence moderated a panel of experts from First Entertainment Credit Union and Wells Fargo on home mortgages geared toward first-time home buyers. Loan Officer Edward Chou led the First Entertainment team and Private Mortgage Banker Sheila Berger led the Wells Fargo team in offering information and professional insights…

As we get reports back from the 2022 D2 Convention, it’s exciting to hear about all the progress and connections being made. The IATSE Women’s Committee fundraiser raised more than $1,000 for Equal Rights (among other achievements), and Nora Meek, Co-chair of TAG’s Young Workers Committee, met with editors from Local 700 (all delegates), including…

The 2022 IATSE District 2 Convention will be held in San Francisco June 24th-26th. For the fourth year in a row, The Animation Guild delegation will propose a record number of resolutions to be introduced and voted on by the delegates of the IATSE Locals in Arizona, California, Hawai‘i, and Nevada that make up District…