The Canadian

Animation Guild

IATSE Local 938

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Honourable Withdrawal FAQ


Can I be still a member of the Canadian Animation Guild if I leave my unionized workplace?

Yes! We encourage our members to maintain their membership while not working at a unionized studio so that they can continue to access the benefits of their membership that exist outside of the collective agreements at their workplace.

Your membership can be maintained simply by continuing to pay your quarterly dues.


Can I step away from my CAG 938 Membership?

Yes, you can step away from your CAG 938 membership. This is done via a system called "Honourable Withdrawal" which can be taken once a member has paid all dues and fees that they owe CAG, or have paid their first owed Quarter of membership - whichever is applicable to your circumstances.

To request Honourable Withdrawal, please write an email to our Local's Secretary (hw.requests@cag938.ca), and state that you would like to take Honourable Withdrawal. Please include your most recent end date at a unionized studio, so that we can confirm that your dues are up to date.

Members on Honourable Withdrawal will no longer be considered active, and will not be able to access certain union benefits until they return.


I've successfully requested Honourable Withdrawal.  Can I re-enter active membership?

Yes you can - members on Honourable Withdrawal will have their memberships reactivated under the following circumstances:

    • Automatically, when they return to work at a unionized studio,

      OR

    • Manually, upon a written request to the Local Secretary.

Once your membership has been re-activated, you will receive a notification via your Members' Portal.  Under most circumstances, your Quarterly Dues payments will resume in the following Quarter (for example, if you return to work during Quarter 2, your payments will resume in Quarter 3).

However, if you return to membership within the same Quarter as an Honourable Withdrawal request (for example:  if you returned to work at a unionized studio), and you had originally received a refund, you will be expected to repay that Quarter's dues before the end of the Quarter.

If you need to request Honourable Withdrawal again after your membership has been re-activated, please note that per our Members In Arrears policy, members will be responsible for paying at least one quarter before they are eligible for Honourable Withdrawal, regardless of employment duration.  If you find yourself unable to make that payment due to financial hardship, you are encouraged to submit a Dues Payment Assistance Application.


When Can I Request Honourable Withdrawal?

You may request Honourable Withdrawal at any time.  If you are actively employed at an unionized workplace at the time of your request, please note that your request will not be processed until we receive confirmation of your contract's end date from your employer.

Common reasons to request Honourable Withdrawal include:

      • Your contract at a unionized studio is about to/has come to an end without a provided return date by your employer,
      • You are in-between contracts for a longer length of time,
      • You intend to switch careers and leave the animation industry,
      • You are leaving Canada for the foreseeable future.

If you request Honourable Withdrawal within the first 30 days of a Quarter, you may be able to request a refund of any quarterly dues collected for that respective Quarter.

If your request for Honourable Withdrawal occurs at any other time in the Quarter, you will be expected to pay for the current Quarter alongside any other outstanding invoices and late fees before your request can be processed.


There are pros and cons to stepping away from your membership and requesting Honourable Withdrawal.  Please examine the following points below so that you can make an informed decision:


PROS CONS 
Honourable Withdrawal allows you to step away from your membership in Good Standing.
You will forfeit any previously-approved/pending reimbursement from member-oriented funding programs such as the Professional Development Fund.
Your Account will be suspended, with no further Quarterly dues charged until you return to membership.You cannot access any member-specific benefits, events, virtual spaces, or opportunities that the Local or associated Committees organize (unless the event is specifically open to non-members).
If you request Honourable Withdrawal within the first 30 days of a Quarter, you may be able to ask for a refund of that respective Quarter’s dues.You cannot run for positions of office in the Local or attend the quarterly general membership meetings.
You can return to membership at any time - either by returning to work at an unionized studio, or by contacting the Local Secretary directly.You cannot vote in general elections, or be a member of any of the Local’s Committees.
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