Is the Animation Guild/Union doing its job for you?

[Charles]

While attending the RockNComic Con in Pasadena last month, I met an entertainment attorney. He's been in the business for many years and is very well connected. We eventually started talking shop and I was surprised that he asked me about the Animation Guild.

I asked him what he wanted to know and he mentioned that he heard it wasn't very responsive to the needs of its members. Not as compared to what he's heard coming from members of the Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild and others.

Thinking about that conversation has prompted me to ask, if you're in the Guild currently or used to be, has it been responsive to you when you brought up a concern? If you've never brought up an issue or needed help from them, has it been worth your while in any case to be a member of the Guild?

[Will Ryan]

Can an animator starting out in this economy afford to be? What's the financial hit to break into the Guild these days? No sarcasm intended here, just wondering out loud as the animation jobs aren't exactly overflowing these days.