Congrats to the animation production workers at Disney! The NLRB decision has paved the way to unionize!
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has reached a preliminary three-year agreement with major studios, ending a strike that began in May. This new deal, valued at $233 million per year, includes pay raises, increased health and pension contributions, and novel protections around the use of artificial intelligence in film development and production. Under the agreement, studios will discuss their AI plans with the guild semi-annually, and while AI usage isn’t banned, writers have the right to sue if their work trains AI. The deal also ensures minimum staffing in writers’ rooms, links staffing to the number of episodes per season, and guarantees more than a 12% increase in minimum pay rates over three years. Additionally, there will be higher residuals for international use of TV shows and movies, and bonuses for popular streaming shows. The strike’s resolution allows for the return of daytime and late-night talk shows, though the ongoing SAG-AFTRA actors union strike continues to affect Hollywood.
In a landmark move for the entertainment industry, Visual Effects (VFX) artists from a Walt Disney Studios subsidiary, working on the ‘Avatar’ film series, have filed for unionization with the National Labor Relations Board. This pioneering effort, led by 83 artists across various departments, aims to bring about equitable pay, better working conditions, and sustainable benefits, aligning the VFX sector with other unionized film departments. Spearheaded under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), this initiative marks a significant step in a broader movement towards recognizing and protecting the rights of VFX workers in the film industry.
