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For those who follow (just) what goes around Association
Here is a open letter from JC Menu, editorial director of the house Issue:
WHAT FUTURE FOR THE ASSOCIATION?
comment on the strike by employees
by Jean-Christophe Menu, founder and editorial director of the Association
February 13, 2011
Preamble: I speak on my behalf, I would avoid either the first or a feeling. I also send this news to my address book, not those of the Association in its entirety (I do not have file members). I am positive that this text circulated as widely as possible.
Throughout this conflict, everyone has had a "sounding board" that the "payroll" (as it was defined) and their various support . We found abnormal that I am not speaking about this: I did not make things worse. Faced with a situation that gets stuck, I book now how I lived chronologically and inside the strike until the date of Thursday, February 10, 2010.
I would firstly like to thank very much the authors and friends who gave me their sincere and invigorating emotional support, within the period that I've been through. I sometimes could not thank everyone you directly, but I know that what I said or wrote: thank you. 
Given the gravity of the turn taken by the strike by employees of the association, which began Jan. 10, and made disastrous by their media action in Angouleme, it should return step by step on the unfolding events, as well as some language contained in various press releases, leaflets and petitions, which have too often found the rough, or even misleading, and deliberately maintaining confusion.
1) The financial difficulties have arisen from the Association in 2009. In 2009 an analysis was undertaken on the causes and consequences of these difficulties. We asked why a person of great competence we accompany one day per week. The findings of this analysis in hand with our accountant (also Auditor) Camille Lawson-Body led to pessimistic conclusions. Unfortunately, the difficulties are rather appeared to be structural in nature. If they have since been obscured by the extraordinary success of books by Marjane Satrapi (who enabled the Association to live in opulence few years: generous recruitment, exceptional bonuses to employees, increase in publications, books difficult, luxurious fabrications etc. ...), the general crisis, and especially that of the market the book, added to the "end of cycle" of the bestselling Persepolis put an end to this period. The last years show steady decline in numbers, which unfortunately involve a recession inevitable. The news will sell less, fixed costs remain the same or even increase. Stopping work for economic reasons our distributor Le Comptoir des Independants, beyond the negative consequences for the Association, reinforces these problems. And if Persepolis and careful management have enabled the establishment of substantial reserves in the association, it's been almost two years the operating deficit cutting back on its reserves.
2) The first measure was accepted by all to reduce production, and some of the books most difficult and costly. So in 2010 he saw published only 25 titles, a quarantine against all previous years. The 2011 program promises to, if possible, the same order. The book features the most "non-standard" are now reduced in favor of less challenging works economically.
3) Throughout of 2010 assumptions were developed to reduce costs. Downsizing has been raised in early 2010 and therefore did not represent a surprise. This prospect deeply affected me personally from the outset. I want to remind that, Editorial Director employee since 1999, and having the largest salary I'm being laid off by the Bureau as of March 2010.
4) Seven people (five CDI, a CSD, a 3 / 5 - I exclude myself from the payroll even though I continued to provide the same work), wages and charges added to fixed costs, fixed costs are now too high for the structure, the simple view of accounts and forecast that the employees know, but they refuse the analysis delivered by the accompanist manager and the accountant, who both argue that without concrete action, the Association is sentenced to a short deadline. The employees felt that it remains a relatively consistent cash flow, job losses were not considered acceptable. It is precisely this cash that was causing the dismissals could be accompanied by dignity.
5) suggestions made very clear during the meeting held December 3, 2010 between employees, the Office and myself, were: elimination of the internal distribution (bookshops historical VPC, future sales by the net site - nearing completion), as unprofitable and questioning the position of Frederick Van Linden, handler and courier; accounting outsourcing given the significant decrease in flow associated with the removal of internal distribution, resulting Indeed, the abolition of the post of full time accountant, currently occupied by Philip Revell. Moreover, the decrease in production was the problem of two full time designers (especially since I assume all the Branch Graph). It was therefore suggested that CDI remains in a graphic and additional tasks are assigned externally. Eric Bricka having announced a sabbatical from March to September (leave granted and signed by the president), we have assured him that no proceedings would be launched before his return. Fanny Dalle-Rive therefore remain employed graphic designer. Moreover, Nicolas Leroy, head of production, had announced his intention to leave the Association and to seek work elsewhere, although he was not asked to leave the structure. As for Mary and Carmela Chesnais Chergui, they had previously, in individual interviews, announced their intention to remain in the Association.
6) This unfortunate downsizing, corresponding to an inevitable evolution, has not been developed anyway, but at the cost of thinking towards a less cumbersome and more consistent with his news and current affairs prospects. It is the sudden realization of the announcement of job cuts has angered employees, and the fact that there has been no consultation with them on other ways to make savings . Yet it has been referred to other solutions on that day by the Bureau, as the sub-lease of part of the space freed from its stocks at a party space for workshops or graphic designers. I even for the first time accepted the assumption of pounding some stocks, while I had always been philosophically radical Conversely, and this deal with the enormous proportion that make the cost of unsold goods at our warehouse Génilloise.
7) The team feels united in a kind of mental projection of cooperative self-managed, which is not one, since I hired every person as an employee for his skills, and to accompany me to the service of a pre-existing and well defined. This idea of self-management has also been generated by the absence of genuine leadership, the editorial director who speaks often having been absent and never truly assumed his role as CEO of fact. Association but, despite all its faults, was formed to serve authors and their books: the recent strike appears to convey the idea of cooperative employees well above the basic project. The team has not agreed to be "separated", challenging the accounting analysis, and thus ultimately need some decay, which is not only economic, but also structural and cyclical, the tens of new structures being emerged in years on our "industry" leading to a massive overproduction of books pseudo "independent" and require the association to refocus on what is fundamental research and innovation, the accompaniment of work in progress Authors 'house' , discovery and empowerment for young talent, recirculation of Masterpieces of the Comic Strip in the past, works of reflection on the medium, etc.. There is a strong editorial line of twenty years that I am the guarantor, and that keeps me morally to become the competitor of our copiers, and a "producer of comics" among all others. (If it must be remembered, I'm behind the project of the Association, have defined the axes, the position of political leadership and chart the entire speech. Even if the contribution of the co-founders was fundamental as their creations were live Association, I have always coordinated this structure, and have likewise continued after the explosion of the group). This trend is bound to multiple causes harm lived within a structure that works for years as a company while it was never his true nature. There is an ongoing transformation, the team seems to be difficult to collect, but just see the titles of 2010 and the first half of 2011 (Ruppert & Mouse, Claire Braud, William Benedict, Mahler, Matthias Picard, Conrad Botes, Christian Rosset with a hard resuming his emissions of France-Culture, without forgetting my own thesis or Rabbit) to see that even quantitatively down, the editorial does not deviate an inch, and that it is difficult to attack me on that plane. However, one can attack me on my lack of ability to dialogue and relationships, and rightly so: I have never hidden that it was not my strong point.
8) Monday, January 10, 2011 to 12 h 45, the whole team is in front of my office, Nicolas Leroy took the floor to tell me that employees go on strike, occupy the premises upon their return from lunch, and do not want my presence when they occupy the premises. The announcement was made to strike without notice or warning, vis-à-vis the Office or myself. The first release from mass. It is slanderous: The Bureau is described as "absent" (while President Patricia Perdrizet and the Secretary General Zab Chipot busy for weeks on the subject and did almost busier than this case since January 10th - and I want to say in passing that the Bureau volunteer and competent, has always been to serve the mission L'Association) and is unfair: I get a "non-employee director responsibilities fuzzy" (as if I'm self-employed it is that I was the first to dismiss me to lighten the structure) and is called to rediscover the "old owl Association" as if the editorial had changed (unless we express here the fantasy of return production of 40 titles per year, which is impossible). I add that to date no dismissal proceedings have been initiated since our announcement was intended primarily to discuss the individual requirements of each of the conditions accompanying the case of departures and an anticipation of a progressive reduction of the payroll for the year 2011. The claims ask to see the accounts, the convening of an Ordinary AG, and thus call into question my moral legitimacy and the Bureau. Given the seriousness of events, our President turns to our Legal: remember not that I personally have no further legal responsibility in the Association and that any liability is placed on the shoulders of President Patricia Perdrizet and Treasurer Laetitia Zuccarelli. The same evening at 19 pm and the following evenings, I find no "occupation" of the premises.
9) On January 12, a first consultation meeting takes place between employees, the Chartered Accountant, the President and the Secretary General. There is particular by the team said that it will proceed normally in Angouleme. It was agreed that a new Meeting for the presentation of 2010 accounts between them and the Chartered Accountant Camille Lawson-Body: Unfortunately, it suffers the loss of his father, and must travel two weeks in Togo, which probably postpone that meeting until after Angouleme and annoys the Employees.
10) The case of the strike took on enormous proportions, the press is activated, and a petition was launched, backed by many sites, which collects many signatures. Unfortunately, the success of this petition is mainly due to the dishonesty of its text and its title "Long live the Association. Most of the signatories believe save structures in danger, or fight an injustice, then they only participate in an episode of the internal structure hypothesis specifically developed to sustain the structure, and who had no episode to be worn the public square. Numerous signatories realize post have been abused by this petition hypocritical. The Employees launch of membership applications in mass, in order to raise troops for an AG Ordinary, or to provide eligible as Honorary Members. The employees seem to want to become an "association loi 1901" normal ", with its hundreds of members that would define the policy or the editorial line of The Association, while what is special about The Association for twenty years is be atypical. Moreover, what distinguishes basically an association of a company is expressed in Article 1 of the Basic Law on the organization: the absence of profit-making of its founders, which has been absolutely the case. It is true that the Statutes of 1993 inadequate, and that given the amount of work and worry, he was not summoned AG since 2007 (and not 2005 as stated in the press - but the minutes of the 2007 has never been done). These deficiencies must be resolved, the organization must be clarified and move into adulthood. Even if the operation of the Association is far from being perfect, we can see that it nevertheless possible to achieve rather exemplary for which the structure was created, and that for twenty years: a Catalog of Comic impeccable .
11) President Patricia Perdrizet received by registered mail by the striking employees and the letters Membership Application General Assembly Killoffer, Lewis Trondheim and David B, resigned three founders of the Association. Collusion employees / ex-founders and an attempt to depart from the structure appears at this stage, strongly fear.
12) Faced with this fear of "coup", and save as quickly as possible the structure of all abuses and plundering, the Office (except the Treasurer), the Advocate, along with various friends and advice hold a crisis meeting to work on a new governance, entrenching such a "council of wise men", skills and experience recognized, ensuring the proper management of the Association and clearly separating the editorial policy of administrative and financial. As the articles so provide, a list of Honorary Members would be adopted by the Board of Directors, the statutes amended by them in AG and AG Ordinary Meeting held in the wake of the 2010 financial statements to present and projected 2011. The Treasurer, convened the meeting, but considering this AGE irregular had taken the initiative to bring in our lawyer's office (later mocked for abut Matignon) thirty persons including all employees, various strangers, family members of the Association, and authors, including David B, Lewis Trondheim, Killoffer, and Joann Sfar, who expressed surprise at the ardently as spokesman of the Association of Authors, which saw its ties with the structure for five years was not without salt . The confrontation is painful but is going smoothly. The same afternoon, the employees had called the Association of Authors in the Area Confluences where they explained their views and they obviously have denounced this "secret meeting" as "illegal" (which it was not). Given my absence (which I was not invited), the majority of authors that I am the editor feels caught in the crossfire and does not understand the situation. I get so many requests for clarification from the authors that I can not meet them, especially as we are now in a fight social and legal that I can not crack, all within days Festival of Angoulême.
13) The Director of the Belles Lettres, our new distributor, alarmed by events: in fact, barely a few weeks since we signed with him, following the closure of the Comptoir des Independants, intervened in November. It should be noted that the Belles Lettres created a sector of independent comics, from the bulk of the catalog desk (and echoing the positions of 4 representatives) only because the Association's largest publisher of this catalog has accepted this solution. If I did not personally accept this solution, these positions and numerous editorial structures would have gone into difficulties. The strike is therefore also the structure refinement from our new distributor and all this new sector.
14) Monday, January 24, at the deterioration of the situation, bipartisan meeting with an independent mediator, experienced and impartial, proposed by the President, is strongly denied by the Employees. Tuesday 25, an informal lunch between the team, the Secretary-General and myself is also rejected. I then decided to go alone to the local try to talk about Angouleme, so try a "truce" so that the festival goes well. All of my employees said that the previous claims were not met, a discussion of Angouleme is superfluous. Faced with the impossibility of dialogue, I quickly left the scene.
15) Thursday, January 26, the first day of Angouleme, the pallets of books have been brought on site by the carrier, but they are in the middle of the stand, and the books are not unpacked. A large banner "Employees on strike" dominates the stand, and instead of books included leaflets, which outline the substance of previous releases. If employees want to assert that they are not themselves the cause of the petition and support the blog "Long live the Association, they can not deny that this is purely media and makes them well coordinated. Windfall for the media who obviously takes the matter to the mount pin, a case which becomes almost the main topic of discussion this Angoulême 2011. The cost of the booth, transportation, hotel, transportation to return to the pallets, the shortfall of sales not represent a huge financial loss. Not to mention the social and tax statements not made by the accountant to January 15 due to strike, but punishable by fines to make copious structure.
16) Having myself a publication of significance ("The Comic Strip and its Double", PhD thesis defended at the Sorbonne, January 8) and to give a lecture on Friday 28 topic I had worried before the start of the availability of the book Angouleme. I had argued that a technical problem would prevent it. The Italian printer that I contacted told me that on the contrary, the book was ready and blocked for ten days. I was then forced to bring a few copies on my side to Angouleme. I regularly seek and distribute it in the city. This brings me back over 25 years ago, when I distributed my first fanzine in the street, except that it's my thesis. Meanwhile in Angouleme, no book of the Association is available on the stand. I do not put not a foot beneath the bubbles and answered questions in the town of countless authors, journalists, organizers, supporters, most stunned and dismayed by the situation.
17) Friday 28, the author manages to Jacques Benedict resume a dialogue between representatives of the team, Nicolas Leroy and Marie Chesnais, against myself and the Secretary General Zab Chipot. Also present are other people having positioned as "peacemakers": June Misserey, Morvan, Jochen Gerner, José Parrondo. Despite dissension, a sort of "pact" is defined: the team wants the precise timing of future AGE and / or AGO, the estimate file 2011, the fact that the list of Honorary Members is commonly defined, and knowledge of new statutes. Following this reconciliation, and receipt of the statement of projected financial statements 2011, sent from Paris by the President (while the chartered accountant had not yet completed or official), the Employees make the gesture, Saturday 29 , out on the stands a few books by guests present.
18) I am shocked beyond measure by this strike media, especially thinking of the authors. The Association was created by and for writers, not only because of unfortunate circumstances of domestic economy, these same authors find themselves deprived of the presence of their books in Angoulême. I think especially the "mini-Rabbit 44 bis" booklet which was subject to the Greeting Card Association in 2011, for which some thirty authors of the "new generation" have graciously made boards with enthusiasm and whose printing and publishing were canceled.
19) Return of Angouleme, the shares continue: Friday, February 4, a "pot of support" for employees on strike takes place at the bookstore Monte-in-the-Air which is organized a "pot" in favor of the strikers, then an auction of original authors of the Association, invited to a board, still in favor of the strikers, was also launched by another committee support.
20) Thursday, February 3, following mediation Angoulême, Chair Patricia Perdrizet send an email to employees explaining and accepting all the claims made in writing on January 28 (most of which were not legally admissible). Nevertheless, the letter is not acceptable, and the strike is still not closed.
21) Tuesday, February 8, the team convenes the Pay Office and the Chartered Accountant in the offices of their lawyer (a hundred meters from the premises of the Association) whose name is not given in advance. Although not invited, I decided participate in this meeting. The Secretary General announced beforehand my arrival, which was accepted. The Employees were asked two friends to be Authors "witnesses": Emmanuel Guibert and Gila. Camille Lawson-Body outlines the provisional accounts for 2010. He noted in particular a loss of 150,000 euros due to the closure of the counter. Marie Chesnais opposes him that without this accident, 2010 would be down compared to 2009. The Chartered Accountant recalls the dramatic drop in sales between 2007, 2008 and 2009, and the structural imbalance between revenues and expenses. The discussion began on legislation Associations Act 1901 and on our statutes. The team produced a list of Honorary Members is that we know (dating back almost ten years and never endorsed by AG called the "SP" - Press service - which in reality corresponds to the list of persons who received free books published in the Association; where the current statutes provide that Honorary Members are nominated for "services rendered to the Association by the Board of Directors), expanded list of authors appeared since, and various names of supporters (or support for the strikers): it comprises nearly 200 people. Carmela Chergui said peremptorily, and contrary to the agreement of Angoulême to discuss together, we will not delete any names from this list. a remark of the President as what the future Board will be really competent, the same answer Carmela Chergui they also know good people and "they have a program." The President confirmed that the dismissals are frozen, and a date for the AGM is scheduled for Saturday, March 5: Lawyers must both make contact to discuss details this Assembly. Following this information, the Employees undertake to lift the strike the next day on February 9, what they will do.
22) After this meeting, an informal discussion is between Emmanuel Guibert, Gila, Zab Chipot Secretary General, and myself. Both mediators are meeting are positive and optimistic. Gila believes that if the Bureau, the Employees and I manage to get along together on the names of members of the Board, the parties might be able to cope. Emmanuel Guibert adds that future sales must be really active, competent, and now what seems to be consensus with the wishes expressed by the team. Gila expressed in an e-mail sent to employees of incontournabilité to him to agree together on the CA
23) Thursday, February 10, Emmanuel Guibert and Gila decide to talk with Employees at the local level and be myself. After refusing at first, still feeling weak and anger against the "group", I agree to go there. I manage to keep my composure and keep my reproaches to me. The three hours of discussions raise many grudges but remain calm. There are positive exchanges, but I am shocked by many things. It ordered me, quite firmly, to reconstruct an editorial board executive (not even a peer, but a committee where the projects would be put to the vote). I am against this idea is the first time that employees advance in the field of publishing. I am making my balance editorial since 2006, when I became the sole decision, and says I'm not ready to risk new type of quarrels lived with the group of founders. Then Carmela refuses Chergui that the CA should be discussed upstream, but rather that several projects could be put to the vote of an assembly composed of all Honorary Members who have wished to present - which is completely contrary to the way that 'The Association has been working since its inception (and which also rejects the mediator's proposal Gila). The discussion around a common AC looks unlikely: it lets me know the name of Stephen Robial, for example (tipped to be in the future CA, unimpeachable character, not only by his career and his knowledge of the art book, but also because without him and Futuropolis Association simply would not exist) would not be considered because "he does not know the team" .. . Despite my seething, I remain stoic. Redialoguer with some members of the team I was pleased and relieved, but essentially, I remain perplexed.
24) Then, after the departure of all, the same February 10, I opened my mailbox and discovered that the Employees News sent to everyone for announce the lifting of the strike. I am appalled. The release is even more vindictive than the announcement of the strike. He affirms that I said that the decision of dismissal stemmed from a need "philosophical". This is a reduction defamatory caricature of my position, expressed in this paper in Section 7, and largely developed orally in the office of Lawyer Employees. So here I am now, after so many calumnies, who turns people by "philosophy". Obviously, if the strike is lifted, the war is not. Legally, there are more serious than the assault: this release gives the agenda of the AGM on March 5, gold not only is this not the Employee to do so, but the Bureau, but in addition the two lawyers had to agree beforehand on the subject. The fact that it states that "the list of Honorary Members will be updated and validated" is in contradiction with the "pact" of Angouleme, who asked that it be "reflected in common." The statement ends with the question of remuneration for days of strike by employees, who seem absolutely not achieve the economic and moral harm they come to subject the structure.
It is as if the escalation of the claims could not stop. Now, this team pay the impression of wanting to control everything to the Association, even that which does not absolutely of its prerogatives, and even claims to influence the editorial. Faced with these disturbing findings, the lifting of the strike becomes a problem almost secondary.
Nicolas, Fanny, Eric, Carmela, Mary, Mokeït, Philip, you did not come to the Association by chance for your skills first, a Utopia to attend then. How Can a Utopia lead to such a disaster? How can we arrive at such a loss for the fundamental project? Certainly, during the crisis that preceded it, mistakes were made on both sides, but the association does not deserve such a mess. And the latest episodes (listing other "programs", will elections "normal" interference in the editorial) does not make me bullish. If the majority Authors are in the expectation and misunderstanding, torn between the affection she has for you, and (I had enough evidence) the recognition it has for my work as a publisher, many Authors and Friends Association have shown me that without me no longer the Association. Today, they are the ones that I would not disappoint.
The eternal problem of the Association has always been to combine professional and emotional (and ignore the law). This confusion, which has made much of its charm and his anti-conformist (but also the source of his long series of quarrels) becomes the essence of what the threat today. We can say that this strike and the crisis that preceded it represent only the climax of failures too old structure, not really business or association really, that must be addressed urgently. The problems of governance and organization can not be taken lightly when the recession is here. Legal and can not be absent subscriber when the structure is threatened, and that even by its employees. Employees who claim to want sustainability structure but by their actions, he suffered a severe injury unprecedented (and by extension, to any independent publishing, to the delight of all the apologists of the mainstream and our eternal detractors) besides some scavengers alert , to whom this embrittlement (duly orchestrated), can only benefit.
While it was not worth such a disaster, which put many people in the unrest and torment, if not disgust. It does not worth such a demonization of the Bureau who has been exemplary in this matter, nor forgive me, such a lynching media myself, now branded as unclean "rogue boss" (as some who have compared to Ben Ali and other political garbage, I tell them I'd rather be a lowly editorial Dictator and a prominent Chart robber cadavers).
Boss, I've never been, and I never will. Only I'm interested in the Authors, Books, and the Catalogue, and I will continue anyway to experience this inimitable structure, which I claim the Base Project, History, and Future, and s is called Association.
Yes to those who believe in the Project, the Ideal and the Future of the Association. Not to those who under the pretext of "defending" are being destroyed.
Association Long live!
Jean-Christophe Menu, February 13, 2011.
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