Lesli Linka Glatter Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment As Lesli Linka Glatter departed the top member post at the Directors Guild of America, she gestured toward some of the union's unfinished business. "There is still so much to do," the outgoing union president wrote in a final note included in a DGA Monthly issue released Friday. The letter summarized some of the work the Homeland and Mad Men director did while in one of Hollywood's most influential roles for four years. The issues she pointed to that remain unresolved are some of the top problems dogging Hollywood labor advocates just months before major industry unions - including the DGA - return to the bargaining table with studios and streamers to hammer out new labor contracts. Related Stories Business Commercial Production Workers Ratify First Union Contract Business AI-Generated Actress Tilly Norwood Slammed by Canadian Performers Union as "Nothing But Lines of Code" "It is no secret that our industry, which is no stranger to rapid change, is experiencing a period of massive transition," Glatter wrote. "The industry contraction from the dual strikes has led to significant unemployment for our members and all industry workers. AI presents both incredible opportunities and concerning unknowns. The rise of streaming and shifting business models have disrupted the rhythms on which many of us built stable careers, and production has become increasingly global and complex." The solution, she argued, lay in the union's approach to tackling issues and in members locking arms to fight them together. "We do our research, and we come armed with facts and thoughtfulness, taking the whole industry into consideration," she said. "These battles will not be easy, but they are necessary. And they are never won by one individual - they are won through the solidarity of all of us. When we act collectively, when we work together, we can and do change the trajectory of our industry. Our superpower is our community." The DGA was a key leader in the effort to amplify California's film and television tax credit and is continuing to lobby Washington to establish a federal incentive to combat declining job opportunities and the outsourcing of work to overseas production hubs. And following Disney's brief suspension of late night host Jimmy Kimmel after some remarks made by Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr, the union stood apart from its peers by establishing an email address for members to report any instances of suspected or alleged censorship. But the union has yet to comment on the release of OpenAI's Sora 2, which has rattled Hollywood with its outputs of Hollywood characters, like Wednesday's Wednesday Addams or Pokémon's Pikachu. On Sept. 20, Glatter handed the reins of the union over to newly elected leader Christopher Nolan, who has emphasized that he's ready to confront the business' shifting tides. "Our industry is experiencing tremendous change, and I thank the Guild's membership for entrusting me with this responsibility," the director said in a statement following his election. The union's current labor contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, composed of top Hollywood studios, expires after June 30, 2026. The full memo from the exiting DGA chief is below: A Farewell Letter from Past President Lesli Linka Glatter October 03, 2025Dear Members: As I sat down to write this letter at the end of my time as President of our Guild, I find myself filled with a wide range of emotions and so much gratitude, and I can't help but reflect not only on the years I've spent serving this extraordinary community of Directors and directorial teams, but also on the winding path that brought me here. From the time I was a little girl in Dallas, Texas, swept away by the magic of the dance studio, I learned that the arts can transport us, connect us, and open doors to worlds we never imagined. That love of movement ultimately brought me to our world of film and TV through a serendipitous moment in Tokyo, Japan in front of two coffee shops. By choosing to enter the coffee shop on the right versus the one on the left, it changed my life forever, for in that shop, I met a man who would become my mentor whose personal stories would become the subject of my first short film. And on that set, I knew that directing would be my next chapter. How could anyone anticipate that unlikely path? But that little film opened a door, and I was blessed to mentored by extraordinary Directors - and being so well mentored, I learned the power and importance of mentorship, and grabbing the hand of the next generation and helping to open the door. Over the years, I have been so fortunate to have worked with so many amazing artists and craftspeople... with all these exper