Before the pandemic, I was pretty good about attending the SAG-AFTRA local board meetings as an observer for a few years. I’m a little disappointed that it took me so many years to prioritize going to those, but I was glad that I finally got into the routine of attending and being much more involved in the union. And during the beginning of the pandemic, the local board meetings continued, but they didn’t allow observers into the Zoom meetings. It was sad to see something that I had grown to look forward to and appreciate not available anymore, but I understood that everyone was doing the best that they could.
They finally started to let members be observers for the local board meetings again recently. But they are still limited to a specific number of observers just like with the in-person meetings. Because these meetings are announced in emails and I get a lot of emails every day, there have been times I’ve missed the announcement for signing up to be an observer and I can’t even get on the wait list. But after that happened the most recent time, I told myself that I just needed to read all the emails I get as soon as I can to make sure that I’m not missing anything.
And that plan worked because when the most recent local board meeting was announced and members could sign up to be an observer, I did it right away. I’m glad that I was able to get a spot so I could participate in the limited manner we were able to.
Attending a virtual meeting as an observer is a very different experience from going in person. I have the same rules as an observer so I’m not participating in the meeting no matter what. But there is something different about the pre-meeting stuff when you are there with others as well as just sitting in on the meeting with other people in the room compared to seeing people on a Zoom screen. I know that a virtual meeting is better than no meeting, but I still miss the in-person ones. But I do like that I don’t have to worry about traffic and I can dress much more comfortably when I’m sitting in front of my computer.
As with all local board meetings, a lot of what was said is confidential and I can’t really say what we talked about, even in really board terms. But I can share that something that was discussed was how the union just recently bought a building. This has been a discussion for a very long time, but the timing wasn’t right in the past to buy a building. I know years ago when there was a serious search, the good options were all very far from the main part of LA and that wasn’t something the union wanted to do. I think the timing worked out this time because there are a lot more vacant commercial spaces because businesses have been closing or going fully remote. And I’m sure there were other financial factors that came into play that aren’t public that made now the right time to buy and this building the best option for us.
I will have a much longer drive there when we move to the new building since it is in the valley, but I’ll figure out how to make it work when that time comes. And there aren’t a ton of meetings I go to at the union building, so it won’t be that often. I have a feeling a lot of meetings will continue to have a virutal option, so if I can’t drive over there one day, there will be another way for me to attend or participate.
With the other things that were discussed in the meeting, a lot of them were new to me so I’m glad I was able to learn about more things that will be coming up with the union. I really do try my best to stay informed and educated, but it hasn’t been as easy the past few years. There aren’t as many opportunities to be a part of union events or meetings, so I have to take advantage of the few that are out there and make sure I RSVP in time so I can get a spot.
I don’t know when the next local board meeting will be or if there will still allow observers to attend, but I’m hoping I’ll get another change to sit in and learn. And when they do return to in-person events, I’ll be ready and excited to see everyone in person and feel much more a part of what is going on.
You Might Also Like
Another Union Meeting (or Getting Into The Routine Of Things)
Observing a Board Meeting (or Finding A New Goal)
Another Virtual Union Meeting (Hearing What’s Happening With The LA Local)
Another Observer Opportunity (or Watching The Local Board)
More Virtual Union Meetings (or Hopefully We Will Be Back To In-Person Meetings Soon)
Observing The Local Board Meeting (or The Beginning Of My Second Term As A Delegate)
