Writers Scribbling in Other Jurisdictions

So I walk into one of our signator studios and happen on a studio lawyer, who says to me: "I hear that the WGA told agents that if their writers haven't written animation before, they can't start writing it during a WGA strike."

This seems pretty forceful to me, but what do I know? It's another labor organization enforcing its internal rules and policies. I'm not exactly sure how the WGA knows which of its members has written animation in the past, and which hasn't, but I guess they can ask.

When I get back to the office in late afternoon, Variety calls for reaction about the Writers Guild prohibiting screenwriters from working on animated features:

The WGA's effort to ban work for fully animated features is likely to be controversial, since nearly all of the work in that area is covered through a different union -- the Animation Guild, which operates as Local 839 of the Intl. Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees. The WGA's asserting that its members can't perform new work for feature animation, including negotiating for new work, on any project even if the producers' deal is through the IATSE.

Lots of things go through my head, like: "What would Larry Clemmons have done back in 1961, when he left the WGA to work on animated features before a strike?" And "What would I have done?" since I worked in animated features for ten years, without benefit of WGA membership (there was a WGA strike during my time at Disney) ...

...[A] draft recap of the WGA rules said the guild plans to prohibit any writing for new media and declare that writers can't do animated features -- even though that realm is not under WGA jurisdiction.

The WGA didn't specify what the penalties would be for violating the rules. It's also asserting that nonmembers who perform banned work during a strike will be barred from joining the [Writers] [G]uild in the future.

I like to think I would have had the wherewithal to keep my job, and not been intimidated by a labor union to which I had never belonged. But, I don't know. Maybe I would have wimped out and knuckled under.

In any event, this is what I told Daily Variety Wedensday afternoon:

"Any union can discipline their members for violations of internal rules and policy. But I can't imagine our union [TAG] attempting to prevent someone from joining and working for another union. So good luck to them."

Wimpish.

Update: I've gotten input from various lawyers -- some solicited by me, some not -- and the consensus seems to be: "Kinda illegal to interfere with people's right to work under another union..."

But at this point, all is hearsay, conjecture and nothing substantive has happened, so I'm just going to lie here in the weeds and await developments.

Update II: IA President Tom Short has now written WGAw President Patrick Verrone over disciplining animation writers:

"It was reported today in Variety that the WGAw is considering discipline against members who work under IATSE Animation Guild agreements. The Animation Guild has represented animation writers for 55 years. I consider it outrageous for the WGAw to consider violating trade union principles by taking action against individuals performing services under the jurisdiction of another union.

"If the WGAw follows through with this threat, the IATSE is prepared to take legal action against the individuals and institutions involved."