The WGA East, whose leaders last year spoke openly about turning their digital news members into a separate union, is now fully embracing them by proposing changes to the guild’s constitution that would ensure “balanced representation” for its various members in its governing body. Work sector
The Guild says that to ensure that all members are represented on its board, its council unanimously recommends changes to the constitution of members, including the creation of vice presidents for three working sectors: film / TV / streaming, broadcast / cable. / Streaming news, and online media.
Constitutional changes will be made in the members’ vote after this spring. Meanwhile, the Guild said it would launch a campaign called #NextChapter to encourage members to approve the changes. The Guild will hold a Virtual Town Hall discussion in April to share more information with members about the proposed changes. Members will receive additional information about the change via email in the next few days.
“The WGAE Council has been working together for the past several months with a facilitator from both outside and outside,” said Michael Winship, president of WGA East. “I think I speak on behalf of everyone involved when I say that it is a learning process where everyone exchanges ideas and listens to each other. Now we are united. I’m excited about the outcome of this bold reunion of storytellers and the next chapter. “
An organizational resolution approved by the council requires the appointment of an organizational committee consisting of council members from all work sectors who will meet regularly to consult and advise employees on possible organizational goals – and increase organizational budgets to increase aggressively. Guilds fairly across all sectors.
“I am thrilled that our Governing Body has not only made an agreement to enhance and formalize our commitment to organize but also to create a mechanism for collaborating with each other to find solutions to all workplace challenges,” said Sarah David, a member of the council. Those who work in online media. “These changes mark an exciting new chapter in the WGA East where we can discuss stronger agreements, expand our organizational work and ensure that every member’s voice is heard.”
Gayle Lee, a broadcast member of the council, said: “The organization’s resolutions and constitutional changes, when combined, mark an exciting new chapter for the guild where members are better represented on the council and we will have aggressive new organizational goals that will benefit everyone.” “It was not easy to reach an agreement on these changes, but I am proud of the council’s willingness to engage in difficult but necessary negotiations.”
The guild, which has aggressively organized digital newsrooms in recent years, broke it last year amid concerns that news writers and producers are on the verge of becoming a majority guild.
WGA East considers digital news members spin into new union amid “existential threat”
These concerns were seen during the Guild’s officer and council elections last summer, with Secretary-Treasurer-elect Chris Kyle running unopposed, warning that the advent of digital news writers and producers has created “an existential threat to the Guild” that could lead to it. “Falling.”
Just a few years ago, most members of the Guild were film and screenwriter television writers. But over the past six years, the campaign to organize dozens of digital news outlets, such as Saloon, Slate and Halfpost, has begun to dramatically change the union’s population, with its broadcasting and digital news members becoming the majority of Guild members.
During last year’s election, which was the culmination of a referendum on the guild’s future, Winship, who was also uncontested, told Deadline that the digital media arrangement had “triggered a flow” of so many new members that we had to stop for a moment – pause – and where we were. I’m there, access it. “
The guild’s anti-solidarity slate, however, dominated competitive council races, campaigning on the belief that “it is important that we continue to organize the entire industry.”
WGA East Council unanimously votes for resumption of digital newsroom
The two parties revised their fences in February when the council unanimously voted to organize a digital newsroom. In a statement, the Guild said: “As the media industry continues to unify across the sector, the WGAE Council will be able to address changes in the guild’s membership structure and ensure that the union can meet the needs of all. Members – in digital and broadcast news, podcasts, scripted and nonfiction television, feature films and public broadcasts. “
