For some time now, the Writers Guild of America has made slow but undeniable progress in its attempt to represent those who write animation. Through a fluke of history, if you write a script for a live-action Disney film, you're covered by the WGA and if you write a script for an animated film for Disney, you're covered by the Animation Guild, Local 839. Having been a member of both and written both kinds of scripts for Disney and other studios, I can tell you there's no contest as to which labor organization does a better job for us. The WGA is equipped to handle the needs of writers, and not just in terms of getting them more money than 839 ever does. The WGA knows about things like creative rights and screen credits and multiple drafts and such. 839 primarily represents animators and background painters and other kinds of artists. They may well do a fine job on behalf of such folks but the writers seem to not get much attention and too many of their needs go unaddressed.
839 has jurisdiction at some but not all of the companies that produce animation. The WGA — reportedly with the Animation Guild's blessing — has managed to sign up to represent writers at many of the studios not covered by an 839 contract. The writers on The Simpsons, for instance, work under a WGA contract. The two labor groups have co-existed with only occasional rancor (and even moments of cooperation) for some time…but now it's starting to get ugly.
Obviously, I am with the WGA on this. During the years that I was directly involved in these battles, I couldn't see that the Screen Cartoonists Guild (as 839 was then called) wanted us for any reasons other than we paid the most dues and that when you threaten a strike, having the writers walk out is the first step in halting production. Though the leadership of 839 has improved considerably since then, those are still probably the only reasons they want us and they aren't good enough. If and when they realize that and stop keeping us in the wrong union, both organizations will be a lot better off.