The 2021 IATSE District 2 Convention will be held virtually this coming Sunday, July 25th. For the third 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 2. Below, you can read a summary of the proposed resolutions:
Resolution to Support a Pay Equity Study Within IATSE Locals
This resolution urges the delegation to commit to conducting pay equity studies that assist workers experiencing inequity by gathering powerful data for collective bargaining purposes. It also urges that all IATSE Locals work together to investigate and identify contractual and negotiated pay inequity that affects each of its members. And resolves that each Local will prioritize addressing their long standing issues of inequity in order to ensure fair wages for all of its members.
Resolution to Research Job-Protected, Paid Family and Medical Leave for Inclusion in the IATSE Collective Bargaining Agreements
Since IATSE members may not qualify for federal or state family and medical leave protections, due to the seasonal or intermittent nature of their work, this resolution acknowledges a precedent set by IATSE Locals 478, 839, and the Writers Guild of America, to provide paid parental leave and/or job-protected, paid parental leave. As such, it urges the Locals of IATSE District 2 to commit to researching the inclusion of job-protected, paid family and medical leave in their various CBAs.
Resolution to Increase Racial Diversity in IATSE Membership
This resolution acknowledges that the leadership and membership of IATSE does not reflect the diversity of our society, and that Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) have been historically discriminated against and marginalized in the entertainment industry. As such, this resolution advocates that all Locals explore the creation of an annual report consisting of voluntary demographic information that is sent to the IATSE Diversity Committee to publish through official IATSE communications. It also proposes that the IATSE Safety Hotline expand its coverage to include cases of workplace harassment, including but not limited to racism, sexism, homophobia, etc., that all Locals explore anti-bias and anti-racist training for their membership, and the development of mentorship programs that uplift and support marginalized members with the aim of increasing diversity in leadership roles.
Resolution on Police Reform and Accountability Within IATSE
This resolution follows a previous one that passed at the 2020 District 2 Convention that addressed racial injustice and police violence and to continue to support actions, including: to examine the prevalence of police in IATSE members’ workplaces, and devise and implement ways to provide necessary services through other avenues such as medics, mediators, mental health professionals, unarmed security, and those trained to deal with crisis and de-escalation; to urge the IATSE to draft an open letter asking the AFL-CIO to suspend the AFL-CIO’s affiliation with police unions; to support finding safer alternatives to policing when possible, and to aim to bring violent policing systems to a higher standard of justice.
Resolution to Expand Transgender Medical Treatments and Surgeries Covered by Health Insurance Plans in IATSE Collective Bargaining Agreements
This resolution underscores that union Trans members face hardships accessing necessary gender-affirming operations and procedures that protect their livelihoods, and it is in the best interests of the union to correct the historical and institutional failures in terms of equity and inclusion for Queer and Trans people. As such, this resolution urges the Locals of the IASTE commit to review health plans for their members and work to include robust coverage for gender-affirming medications, surgeries, and procedures for Queer and Trans members are provided.
Resolution to Expand Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Medicines Covered by Health Insurance Plans in IATSE Collective Bargaining Agreements
Union members and dependents of members may forgo potentially life-preserving and illness-preventing medications due to exorbitant out-of-pocket costs, and a dependent’s primary and/or secondary insurance status should not be an impediment to access these medications especially given the potential discrimination, stigmatization, and abuse due to their (perceived) HIV status. This resolution urges the Locals of the IASTE to commit to review their health plans to ensure that PEP and PrEP are offered and covered to both primary and secondary insurance holders, equally, without out-of-pocket pay and later reimbursement.