Why me?

Recently, I've been wondering; "why did the IA pick me to participate in the visual effects organizing campaign"?
I think the answer goes back to 1982 when seven major studios and several independent television production companies banded together to form the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The Alliance reunited two competing organizations; The Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (composed of Columbia, Fox, Disney, Warners, and MGM) and the Alliance (consisting of Paramount, Universal, Lorimar, Tandem and MTM).
During that era, I represented MTM in numerous labor negotiations from 1979 through 1989, and spent many hours with labor relations executives of the majors and independents.
Regrettably (at least, in my view) all of those independents no longer exist!! Norman Lear. Aaron Spelling. Mary Tyler Moore, Steve Cannell. Lorimar. Gone!!!
Why?? Every one of them was unable to compete with Major Studios owned by one of the Broadcast Networks, especially when the Federal Communications Commission eliminated the "financial interest and syndication rules", and the Federal Courts vacated the decree which prevented Studios from owning Networks. Or Networks owning Studios?
So, I certainly had a front-row seat in watching those independent companies disappear from the scene. And I don't want to see something similar happen to the independent visual effects companies which dot the landscape.
It is my hope that my relationships with the Major Studios, my understanding of the Labor Relations history over the past thirty years, and my respect for the principle of independent entrepreneurship will allow me to promote collective bargaining to this underserved and underrepresented segment of our industry.
So, I guees that's why......
Let me know what you think at vfx@iatse-intl.com;

It's certainly not because of the chooclate chip cookies!!!!

Jimmy