Running for office

Over the next two months the Animation Guild is holding its triennial officer elections, starting with nominations at the General Membership Meeting this coming Tuesday, September 28. Ballots will be mailed to active members in early October, and the results tallied and announced on November 13.

Anyone who has been a member in good standing for at least two years, and who has been active for at least one year (that is, not on withdrawal), may run for any office. This is an opportunity for interested members to get involved in shaping the policies and practices of their Guild. Many years of Guild membership aren’t required to be a union officer, but new ideas and energy are always welcome.

If you are eligible for office under these rules, the mailing label on the back page of the September Peg-Board (mailed yesterday) should have a letter E next to your name. If it doesn’t, and if you believe you should qualify, contact Jeff Massie immediately.

The Guild elects its officers every three years. The next term of office will be from December 7, 2010 to December 3, 2013. Sixteen positions will be up for grabs, including Business Representative, President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Sergeant-At-Arms and eleven Executive Board positions.

What do the officers do?

The PRESIDENT presides at all membership and Executive Board meetings. He or she is a member of the Executive Board, but votes only to break a tie.

He or she is a member of all committees, and is a delegate to all IATSE and IATSE District Two conventions. The President is not a paid officer, but his or her expenses are covered when performing the duties of office (for example, the aforementioned conventions.)

The current President is Kevin Koch.

The BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE is a salaried, full-time employee of the Guild. He or she cannot be otherwise employed (either salaried or freelance, Guild or non-Guild). He or she is a voting member of the Executive Board.

The Business Representative is in charge of the Guild’s business office, supervises the business affairs of the Guild, and is responsible for keeping the Guild’s financial records up-to-date. The Business Representative is responsible for collecting all dues and initiation fees.

He or she represents the Guild and its members in any and all relations with employers, and is chairman of all contract bargaining committees. He or she makes the final determination on all grievances to be filed with employers.

The Business Representative reports to the Executive Board at each monthly meeting, on every matter that has come to his or her attention. He or she is a delegate to all IATSE and IA District Two conventions, and their expenses for conventions and any other official duties are paid by the Guild.

The current Business Representative is Steven Hulett.

The VICE-PRESIDENT is a voting member of the Executive Board. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President assumes the President’s duties. The current Vice-President is Earl Kress.

The RECORDING SECRETARY is a voting member of the Executive Board. The Recording Secretary keeps minutes of all meetings. The current Recording Secretary is Jeff Massie.

The SERGEANT-AT-ARMS is a voting member of the Executive Board. At the President’s direction, the Sergeant-At-Arms is in charge of maintaining order at meetings. The current Sergeant-At-Arms is Jan Browning.

The three Board members who received the highest vote totals in the election, serve as TRUSTEES in addition to their Executive Board duties. The Trustees review the books of the Guild, and make reports to the membership. The current Trustees are Bronwen Barry, Nicole Dubuc and Bob Foster.

The EXECUTIVE BOARD has general supervision of all the Guild’s affairs, subject to the Constitution and By-Laws. They decide upon all matters referred to them by the Business Representative or the members, and their decisions are binding on the membership unless reversed by a majority of the members present at a membership meeting.

The Executive Board meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 pm; membership meetings are held on the last Tuesday of the months of January, March, May, July, September and November, starting at 7 pm. (In short, if you aren’t free on Tuesday evenings, you probably shouldn’t consider running for the Board.) Special meetings may also be called.

In addition to all of the officers listed above, the current Executive Board members are Russ Calabrese, John Cataldi, Janette Hulett, Karen Carnegie Johnson, Cathy Jones, Karen Nugent, Matt Wayne and Stephan Zupkas.