Shaping the Guild's Future

As I write this article the Techo’s Guild AGM is a week away with a number of Motions before the membership including the change of the name of the Guild to The Screen Industry Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand Incorporated (The Screen Industry Guild). By now you will have voted on these motions and we will be moving forward with the decisions you have made. Whatever the outcome, we have presented to the members the beginning of a new way forward and you have decided if you wish to follow that way. This Guild has been serving its members in various forms for 30 years, and it will continue to serve whatever the outcome.

At the same time the Parliamentary Election is three weeks away. There is a parallel between the two events. Both events are heralding change. Both rely on the voters to engage. It is democracy in practice for the Techo’s Guild and New Zealand.

As the Guild, where do we go from here?

We have updated the accounting and membership systems. We have upgraded the website and integrated it with our membership system so we can best serve our members. The revised Blue Book is due to be published on the website. ScreenSafe is in its second year of updating the Health and Safety information as related to the Screen Industry. It will soon release an interactive element on the website to allow you to review your understanding of the Health and Safety Guidelines. It will undertake Roadshows to raise the profile of Health and Safety now the Act is in force.

Now we need to work on the most difficult aspect of the Guild. How to increase our membership and make the existing and new members active participants in the Guild. We need feedback from you to help forge this direction. We have setup a forum on the Website that is members only and is an area for members to put their point of view. https://nztecho.com/Discussion-Future-directions

How do we inspire our members to be active participants?

I have no easy answer to this question. For years there has been debate about the best way to motivate people. To get people to attend meetings and take an active role in the management of the Guild. I realise that members have very busy lives. The Screen Industry tends to be an all-encompassing career with long hours. But we need members to engage, to own this Guild and be active.

We could stage Events, Q&A sessions with Industry members but this only works if the members are willing to attend. There are other Guilds and Societies that do this and so are we just adding to the commitments you already have?

Why should you participate?

Over the history of the Guild, it has created the Blue Book, which is the default work conditions for the industry. It is recognised by all the major players in the industry and it is a document designed to be the basis for the negotiation of your terms and conditions for the project you are signing on to. It was created from the experience of our members over the years and negotiated with Producers. Although it applies to all members of the screen industry it is a Guild document. It is now a living document published on the website and it can be updated as the industry changes if we have agreement between our members and the Producing community.

The Health and Safety Guidelines are driven by the Guild and have been a crucial project to help the industry transition into the new Act. The Guidelines have also gone further than the previous Safety Code of Practice with workshops and templates on aspects of Safety.

The Guild still provides recommendations or Letters of Non-Objections on overseas crew that are coming into the country for projects. Karla works diligently to ensure New Zealand crew are given the first chance to be offered a role on a project.

These are all the foundation elements of the Guild and should be supported by all of the industry. Support means being an active member. You can be on a committee, participate on the forum, attend meetings, suggest ways the Guild can engage the members. It is your democratic right to participate, like it is your democratic right as a New Zealander to vote and choose your government.

I hope you can join me in being an active member of the Guild as we move on.