DreamWorks Remote workers & TED Workers Unionize | Iowa Rep. Dan Gosa on Labor in Politics

On this episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we cover two major stories of workers building power—from the animation studios of Hollywood to the statehouse in Iowa.

Segment 1: The Organizing Wave in Animation DreamWorks Animation remote feature production workers and the production team behind the TED animated TV series have voted to unionize, joining The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) and the Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700).

Organizer Allison Smartt, TED: The Animated Series Color Coordinator Kelly Simmons, and Organizer Ben Speight join the show to discuss this major victory. They explain how the pandemic exposed a "zip code barrier" where remote workers were denied union protections simply for moving out of LA County. The group also discusses:

• The push to end the "two-tier" system that separates production staff from artists.
• Why establishing guardrails for Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a critical part of their fight.
• How industry consolidation is driving more workers to organize for job security.

Segment 2: Why Union Members Must Run for Office Dan Gosa, a third-generation member of Insulators Local 81 and current Iowa State Representative, joins the show to discuss his re-election campaign. Gosa serves as President of the Quad City Federation of Labor and brings a "kitchen-table" perspective to the legislature.

Gosa details the challenges facing Iowa’s working families, including the drastic cut to unemployment benefits (from 26 weeks down to 16) and the need for "Responsible Bidder" laws to track bad-actor contractors who misclassify workers. He argues that when union members sit at the decision-making table, they can stop policies that strip funding from essential local services and ensure working-class issues aren't treated as political games.

Podcast Resources:

• Listen & Subscribe: https://awf.labortools.com/ 
• Learn more about The Animation Guild:https://animationguild.org/
• Learn more about Insulators Local 81: https://local81insulators.com/

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