Following the Marvel Studios in-house VFX team doing it, visual effects workers at Walt Disney Studios have taken a big step towards unionizing.
A supermajority (over 80%) of the 18 in-house VFX crew members at Walt Disney Pictures signed authorization cards signalling their desire to unionize and file it with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for an election to do so.
Unionizing workers are demanding the same rights and protections afforded to their unionized coworkers who are already represented by IATSE.
This marks only the second time in history that VFX professionals have joined together to demand the same protections and rights as their colleagues.
The first time is the Marvel VFX workers whose vote count will take place on September 12th. IATSE VFX organizer Mark Patch said in a statement:
“Today, courageous Visual Effects workers at Walt Disney Pictures overcame the fear and silence that have kept our community from having a voice on the job for decades. With an overwhelming supermajority of these crews demanding an end to ‘the way VFX has always been,’ this is a clear sign that our campaign is not about one studio or corporation. It’s about VFX workers across the industry using the tools at our disposal to uplift ourselves and forge a better path forward.”
The Disney VFX workers are responsible for creating the VFX across the studio’s catalogue, including their animated features.
Source: Variety
