The majority of Walt Disney Animation Studios production workers have voted to unionize with IATSE this Wednesday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Walt Disney Animation Studios Workers Vote to Unionize
Out of 68 total voters, 63 voted in favor of joining The Animation Guild a.k.a. TAG (IATSE Local 839), and five voted against in a National Labor Relations Board ballot count. Voters included production coordinators, managers, and supervisors.
Animation Guild organizer Allison Smartt said in a statement, “As the first production workers at a feature animation studio to unionize with TAG, the production workers at Disney are a shining example of tremendous teamwork, patience, fortitude, and courage in the face of the company’s delay tactics.”
They watched and celebrated the ballot count and took a moment to mark this victory, and gather energy from each other as they prepare for the next step on this journey — getting a strong contract.
Allison Smartt, Animation Guild organizer
If neither party files an objection to the results in five days, the workers will be certified and can begin bargaining for a contract.
Marvel Studios VFX workers and Walt Disney Pictures’ VFX workers both recently voted to unionize, too. This move comes just over a month since the writers’ strike ended. At the time of press, the SAG-AFTRA strike is still ongoing.
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