jkatkina

Animation in Canada isn't unionized at all; animation in the States is somewhat hit-or-miss. The studio I work for has branches in three cities. One of these branches is unionized. They make way better money than we do up here, and not just because the American dollar is stronger than CAD.

There are rumblings of unionization in my studio. I don't often get involved in causes -- I'm a very private person without much extra energy -- but this is one with the magical combination: I feel the pull to get involved with it, and I feel like I have something meaningful to contribute. I am, in the end, a good arguer.

We, as in myself and several coworkers, met with an intermediary organization (not the union reps, but a group of animators who had formed a pro-union organization in order to facilitate interest) a couple of weeks ago. The folks from the organization were articulate, fiery, and driven, and the union cause is one that I was on board with even before this meeting.

Apparently, animation is one of the few creative industries that isn't already unionized in my city, and the major creative union organization has its eye on us as a feather in its cap. I'm slightly skeptical of this -- it feels as if it's not being done for our benefit, necessarily, on our part -- but it does mean we come from a strong bargaining position. Egos can be manipulated.

It'll be interesting to help this pan out.

Art Babbitt would be proud, I think.