We present this information to better inform you of what is going on in your community.  

Please review this PDF for the specifics of union representation of Visual Effects, CGI, and New Media as laid out in this memorandum which amends the "Master Agreement" to include these "side letters".  

Friends and Colleagues in Visual Effects,

We are certain that you are all interested to find out if there was any information of note from last night at the 891 “special reception”.  

First let us reiterate that the VEA was not approached or contacted to attend by the union or anyone else.  We do not accept the personally addressed emails to individuals, who happen to be members of the association or its Board of Directors, as contact with the VEA or, indeed, the community at large.  Concerned people who were in attendance did direct the union representatives present at the reception to contact the VEA officially if they wanted to arrange a meeting; where VEA representatives would be happy to discuss, at length, and in detail, the impact and disposition of VEA members and impressions from our community as a whole.  

As it is Friday and we all have VFX day jobs we regret that a fully compiled update of the many different conversations and impressions from the informal evening will not be forth coming until next week.  Rest assured that there is information, and the union does intend to represent VFX.  We hope you understand the delay and will be patient until next week.  The union representatives themselves are leaving to an “International” meeting to discuss and strategize.

As a reminder and some informative reading:

The agreement that we feared and fought so hard to get considered during its drafting was entered into the Collective Bargain without our input or point of view factored.  Both the CFTPA and AMPTP have accepted it.  The union has stated that it is going to attempt enforcement of this.  That means that anyone hired by production or setting foot on a film set for more than a day or two regarding VFX, and they mean anyone, will, at least, have to be "Permittees" of the union; at least, this is their stated intent.  There is more to this process than just being a "Done Deal" as is, and the community still has a choice; though time to have an impact on the evolution of things dwindles.  Your board of directors will sift through the information and the impressions presented to it from the social event and provide the information next week after we have had the opportunity to meet and discuss it.

The Board of Directors for the VEA, as always, is working for the best outcome to your community and will present our recommendations on the topic to our members next week.  The VEA[BC] acts according to the dictates of our membership’s majority and we encourage the rest of our community to join now, in order to take part in deciding that direction.


Yours in Trust,

VEA[BC] Board of Directors.

The Letter of Adherence, as we feared and expected, (between the Union and the Producer’s Association of the USA.)   has been adopted into the Master Agreement.  We will live under the shadow of this agreement for its duration, until 2012 ( view signed letter of adherence.).  Though this technically means VFX in BC is unionized, we cannot legally be unionized unless we, the subjects of the agreement, also agree and accept it.  The choice is still ours to make.   And, it is important to understand, that we do not have to refuse work to refuse unionization even if we must sign cards to accept a position.

What can we expect?
The track record of the union so far leads us to believe it will continue working to enforce this authority over all Visual Effects persons who are not Supervisors by title in all categories of Film, & TV, and not just within In-House as was originally understood.
 
What does that mean?
The productions will have to state that applicable VFX positions are union positions and prospective employees must fill out and sign union cards in order to work on union sets.
 
What can you do about it?
Involve your association.  After or before your first encounter with the union issue, contact  us!  Use your VEA[BC].  We are here to provide you with all the information and options available to you.  We have worked hard and kept all the doors open for your professional free will.  There is still a choice.
 
Remember!
We are part of the fastest growing branch in the film and entertainment business in both importance and influence and we are members of the VEA[BC].  We are the only professional organization for our industry capable of speaking out on this, and all issues, and our voice is growing stronger every day.