The Animation Guild negotiates with union employers to establish contracts called “collective bargaining agreements,” abbreviated as CBA. A CBA stipulates minimum wages, hours, working conditions, and benefits for members of our Guild working for employers who have agreed to the contract. The Guild negotiates its CBA, also known as the Master Agreement, every three years with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
When the three-year term of a CBA ends, representatives from the Guild (the Negotiations Committee) led by Business Representative meet with the employers to renegotiate the terms of the CBA. Having a CBA with a limited term is beneficial because it gives us time to figure out what parts of the CBA are working and what parts need to be revised. When parts of the CBA need revisions, the Negotiations Committee can write proposals to change them. The proposed changes are designed to benefit our members by addressing issues that have been identified in the workplace.
The Guild bargains for these changes with the employers during negotiations, and the “wants” of the Guild membership are pitted against what employers are willing to provide. The negotiations process requires both parties to be willing to compromise and bargain in “good faith” toward a resolution.
Negotiating as an individual can be difficult, but negotiating a base agreement collectively means that our ability to achieve our demands is stronger.
