As its talks with Hollywood studios on a new contract continue, The Animation Guild launched the first of a series of planned marches called “March on the Boss,” delivering petitions to studio executives demanding a fair deal for animators.
Netflix is the first studio on the list, as hundreds of guild workers marched to the streamer’s headquarters to deliver a petition signed by nearly 2,000 of its animation employees.
“The petition reminds these bosses that while animation workers kept content alive during the COVID lockdown, and animation is outperforming live action on screens and in merchandise sales, animation workers are facing unprecedented levels of unemployment, losing their healthcare, homes, and livelihoods,” TAG said in a statement.
The Animation Guild began talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) in August, with its last update on Sep. 20. Like other guilds, artificial intelligence is the top priority for TAG, as it seeks protections for its members.
“My biggest fear right now is AI. We need to have guardrails to protect all of us and make sure animation has heart and people behind it – not algorithms,” visual development artist Nash Dunnigan said in a statement.
The guild is also seeking staffing minimums to counter the ongoing outsourcing of animation jobs outside of the U.S., wage and health plan contribution increases, updated compensation structures for streaming shows and movies, and multiple improvements in craft-specific working conditions.
“Delivering this petition is flexing our power as a union. Workers, who have given a lot to this industry, are partners with the studios, but have not been treated as such,” said negotiation committee member and production coordinator Elianne Melendez, who personally delivered the petition on Thursday. “This is showing the AMPTP that we won’t be the so-called nice union any longer.”
Leave a Reply