My Candidate Statement

As a guild, I believe we’re in good shape – for the moment. We’re working under a satisfactory deal. We’ve enhanced our jurisdiction in new media, independent features, and cable television. We’ve left past animosities toward the WGAe and toward political participation at the side of the road.

But these gains are in danger unless we push forward, vigorously. Noncompliance threatens to effectively undo many of the contract provisions we fought so hard for. Technological change and the recession give the corporations cover to push back harder. I am running for the Board because I believe the only way to protect – and add to – the gains we’ve made is to maintain an avowedly energetic stance towards enforcement, political advocacy, and member outreach.

WHO I AM
I am a TV drama and comedy writer who has been a member since 2004. In that time, I’ve worked hard on behalf of the Guild. I helped organize my Comedy Central show in 2006 and served as a show captain in 2007 and 2008. During the strike, I also served as a picket coordinator at Sony and Fox. I’ve done political work for the Guild, representing it at the California State Democratic Convention and in a pan-Hollywood-union effort to advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act. I also helped create the Writer Access Program, a Guild program designed to combat under-representation of minorities, women, and writers over the age of 50 on television staffs. These experiences have introduced me to writers of every stripe, who work under every provision of the MBA, and I’ve learned what they care about.

ENFORCEMENT
Our top priority must be the continued aggressive, full-throated enforcement of the MBA. Our legal department has been joined by a research staff that proactively anticipates areas of violation, enabling us to address enforcement problems before they become standard operating procedure. As a Board member, I would push for greater support of the research staff. The findings of the research staff need to be more effectively communicated to the members, not only for their edification but so that they can spot violations themselves. Our greatest asset in enforcement is an informed membership.

POLITICAL ADVOCACY
Now that we have a labor-friendly Congress and White House, we can move towards accomplishing goals such as Net Neutrality and the Employee Free Choice Act. These are issues about which I’m passionate; EFCA in particular is vital to the future of the Guild. It would prevent employers from indefinitely postponing recognizing a union, the way they can now. I believe as we work on these specific issues, we also gain lasting credibility on media issues in general. Here, too, I will push for the members to be better informed of the Guild’s activities. Members would be excited and galvanized if they knew we had a meeting with the White House in early June. (We did.)

I would also work to make the PAC more inclusive. Obviously, its central priority is fundraising, but donations, especially high dollar ones, should not be the only way to be involved. Our intelligent, opinionated members are themselves natural assets to the PAC, and they should have a chance, via an ancillary committee or study group, to advise the PAC.

MEMBER OUTREACH
Not to harp on it, but we need to improve the Guild’s communication with members, and actually, as a Board member, I would harp on it. We should better inform the members about the Guild’s “bigger picture” strategies as well as how its services and programs can work for them. Most of you reading this probably don’t need that information, but the Guild needs to work on pitching itself to the roughly 75% of our membership that won’t vote in this election.

We certainly should bolster our email and web communications, but to me, the most obvious place to make improvements is the captains system. The Guild should educate captains so that they can answer questions about WGA political efforts, yes, but also about more rudimentary issues - for example, new provisions of the MBA, health plan eligibility, or residual schedules. The flow of information should go the other way, too, particularly as our members do more work under newer provisions of the MBA. Improving customer service, so to speak, is its own reward, but we’d also be enhancing unity and solidarity.

The WGA must not return to sleepy irrelevance. Moving forward requires us to commit to and affirm being active, informed, and energetic as a guild. I have the conviction and proven willingness to work on your behalf to make this happen. Thank you for your vote.

Your Endorsement Please

Carleton and I would appreciate your endorsement, which will appear in the 2009 Campaign booklet:

At a time when the Guild is facing unprecedented challenges, we need a team ready and willing to engage the technological, political, and economic forces reshaping our world. We ask you to vote for

Carleton Eastlake and Luvh Rakhe

And join us in building for the future.