The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and Disney/Marvel have reached an agreement that allows Marvel’s in-house visual effects (VFX) workers to vote on whether they want to unionize. The election date has been set for August 21, and workers must return their ballots by September 11. Ballots will be tallied by a third-party, and if the vote passes, the union will be certified.
It is worth noting that a supermajority of Marvel’s approximately 50-worker VFX crew has already signed authorization cards indicating their desire to be represented by the union. Last week, they filed for a unionization election with the National Labor Relations Board. IATSE organizer Mark Patch is confident that the election will be successful, although a neutrality agreement has not been granted. Marvel has not responded to a request for comment.
It is important to clarify that the unionization effort only includes Marvel’s VFX workers employed directly by the company, and it does not extend to the thousands of artists who work on Marvel movies through third-party VFX studios. If successful, this would be the first group to certify union participation in the VFX community, where there has been a growing call for unionization.
The specific union local that the VFX workers would join is still uncertain. However, IATSE’s plan is to establish a new national VFX Local that would cover VFX workers employed by studios, productions, and third-party VFX companies. This new union aims to become the home for the majority of VFX workers. The goal is for members of this Local to work under the Basic Agreement contract, which is currently used by entertainment workers in 13 Locals, including the International Cinematographers Guild (Local 600) and Motion Picture Editors Guild (Local 700). The current Basic Agreement expires in 2024, and negotiations for a new contract are expected to start in March of next year.
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The VFX industry has previously explored the possibility of unionization. A decade ago, there was discussion after the bankruptcy of Rhythm & Hues, the studio responsible for the Oscar-winning VFX work on “Life of Pi.” However, a union never materialized at that time. More recently, there has been a renewed effort to organize.
This unionization effort is taking place against the backdrop of Hollywood’s labor stoppage, as well as a broader rise in unionization attempts across the United States, with companies like Amazon and Starbucks facing union organizing efforts.
In conclusion, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Disney/Marvel have reached an agreement to allow Marvel’s in-house VFX workers to vote on unionization. This represents an important step in the VFX community’s push for unionization. The establishment of a new national VFX Local, under the Basic Agreement contract, could provide a home for the majority of VFX workers. This unionization effort occurs within the context of a larger trend of unionization attempts in the United States.
