Visual effects workers at Walt Disney Pictures have voted unanimously in favor of unionizing with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) in an election held by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
The 13-0 vote comes just weeks after VFX workers at Marvel Studios voted to unionize with IATSE and comes amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, as the guilds continue to seek fair contracts with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Mack Robinson, a VFX senior coordinator said, “For so long we’ve wanted the same protections as everyone else, but there was no hope in sight. Winning this election was a long fight, but I’m proud to say it’s been won by each and every VFX worker wanting a brighter, sustainable future.”
Mark Patch, IATSE VFX Organizer added, “Today’s unanimous victory shows that VFX workers everywhere have a clear path to winning a meaningful say about their working conditions and quality of life. We’ll be continuing our work to win a great contract, but we need to bring every studio and vendor in line to bring those union standards to all VFX workers.”
The 18 crew members who work in-house at Walt Disney Studios who were eligible voters seek fair compensation for all hours worked, adequate health care and retirement benefits. The unionizing VFX workers are responsible for creating the special effects across the studio’s catalog, which includes “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” “The Lion King” and more, are also seeking the same rights and protections afforded to their unionized coworkers who are already represented by IATSE.
Unlike many other crews, the VFX workers have remained non-union. The move to unionize follows calls for improvements across VFX Industry and is corroborated with the sentiment uncovered by IATSE’s 2022 VFX Worker Rate and Conditions Survey, which was published in March.
With the workers behind the vote, the union’s next step is to engage in collective bargaining negotiations with Disney execs to draft a contract that addresses the workers’ needs. Negotiation dates have yet to be set.
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