When Should I Join the Guild?

The Guild encourages prospective members to first secure a union job. Once your union employment has begun, you must fulfill your obligation to join Local 700 within 30 days of your date of hire. If you have any questions about your individual situation, please reach out to the Guild to discuss. 

Get Your Paperwork in Order

As soon as you begin work, contact the office to discuss the requirements to join based on the contract your employer is under. 

What you will need to provide

1. Letter of hire from your employer/post supervisor on a union project
   The letter should include:
   Production company and/or studio
   • Project title
   • Your classification on the project
   • Projected start date and projected end date
2. Documentation to determine your residency
   In order to be cleared as a local hire, you must provide:
   1. Two forms proving New York or Tri-State area residency
      • A state driver license
      • The first page of the most recent state residence tax returns. You should redact your social security number and date of birth prior to submitting.
   2. One of the following documents:
      • Jury Duty Notice
      • Proof of voter registration
      • Utility bill with your address that matches other residency documents.

Please be advised you may only work as a local hire in the State you have declared to the IRS as your primary residence. If you are not a resident, then you must be transported under the terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement.​​​​​​

Note:

The Industry Experience Roster ("Roster") is only applicable to crew members employed as a local hire in Los Angeles.

East Coast Initiation & Processing Fees

There is a one-time initiation and processing fee for joining Local 700. However, changing your classification in the future may result in a classification upgrade fee. Initiation Fees are based on the weekly rate of the classification you are joining. Fees are rounded up to the nearest $100. Fees are subject to increase as the weekly rates increase.

For your convenience, we offer a payment plan for the initiation and processing fees. The payment plan is half down and the other half within 6 months. We accept checks, money orders and credit card.

As fees differ based on the contract your employer or project is signed to, here are the most common initiation fees:

Contact the Membership Dept.

Tara Borth
Field Representative
332.244.8422
tborth@editorsguild.com

Are You Working Non-Union?

If you are working in a Local 700 covered capacity on a non-union production or at a non-union facility and are interested in learning about organizing your workplace, please visit Organizing.

For all Staff contacts, click here