The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839 has recently announced that a tentative agreement was reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on November 22, 2024. The negotiations took place over more than three months, resulting in a new agreement with the AMPTP every three years.

 

Starting on Aug. 12, 2024, discussions began with TAG focusing on “wage increases, shrinking crews, and a need for common sense guardrails around the use of Generative AI.” After not reaching an agreement within the initial five days, negotiations resumed on Sept. 16, 2024, and continued for a total of 16 non-consecutive days until the tentative agreement was reached early on a Saturday morning. The recent negotiation followed three separate “March on the Boss” events where union workers and supporters delivered petitions in-person to major studios: Netflix on October 25, DreamWorks Animation on November 12, and Warner Bros. / Cartoon Network on November 18.

 

Key gains achieved by The Animation Guild in this bargaining cycle include:

Increases to health and pension funds without cuts to healthcare benefits or added costs to members.
Wage increases of 7% in the first year, 4% in the second, and 3.5% in the third.
AI protections with notification and consultation provisions.
Enhancements in the new media sideletter (aka Sideletter N).
Safeguards for remote work.
New bereavement leave and additional sick days.
Recognition of Juneteenth as a holiday.
Craft-specific gains, including staffing minimums for writers and wins for storyboard artists.

The agreement will undergo a ratification vote by Animation Guild members.

 

Steve Kaplan, TAG Business Representative, stated, “After weeks of negotiations that spanned months, I am proud of the agreement reached with the studios for our new contract. We have included advancements seen in other Unions and Guilds, while also addressing industry-specific issues effectively. I commend the TAG members who volunteered their time and efforts during negotiations. Our Table and Support Team members were resolute in achieving all we could in these discussions. This new agreement provides a strong foundation as we strive to strengthen our industry over the next three years.”

 

The Animation Guild, known as Local 839 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), was established in 1952. As a labor union, it represents over 5,000 artists, technicians, writers, and production workers in the animation industry, advocating for improved wages and conditions.

 

Source: The Animation Guild

 

Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Person: Dan Sarto, Steve Kaplan

Company Names: Netflix, DreamWorks Animation, Warner Bros. / Cartoon Network

Titles: The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839, Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP)

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