Walt Disney Animation Studios Production Workers Ratify First Contract

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Production workers at Walt Disney Animation Studios officially have a first union contract.

On Wednesday, a ratification vote concerning an agreement reached on February 13th concluded. Out of the participating union members who cast their votes, 93% supported the deal, whereas 7% voted against it. A remarkable 96% of union members chose to exercise their right to vote on this sideletter to The Animation Guild’s existing contract with Walt Disney Animation Studios.

In a ratification vote held on Wednesday, which pertained to an agreement made on February 13th, 93% of the union members who voted endorsed the deal, while 7% cast dissenting votes. Remarkably, 96% of all union members took part in this vote on a sideletter to The Animation Guild’s existing contract with Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Under the terms of the contract, production coordinators, supervisors, and managers at the facility will receive pension and healthcare benefits, along with increased minimum wages. According to the union, the minimum wage rates have been boosted by 24% for production managers, 29% for production supervisors, and a substantial 35% for production coordinators, thanks to the negotiations.

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The deal includes pension and health benefits, as well as enhanced minimum wages for the unit’s production coordinators, production supervisors, and production managers. The union argues that due to the negotiation, the minimum wage has risen by 24% for production managers, 29% for production supervisors, and an impressive 35% for production coordinators.

After a challenging climb, we’ve finally arrived at our destination – our triumph! In this moment, we stand firm, confident, and together, according to Tamara Lee, the production coordinator, in her statement.

Union representative Allison Smartt described the contract as significant, stating it would bring about beneficial effects far into the future and across the animation sector, according to a statement. In their press release, the union hinted that the terms of the Disney deal could potentially influence ongoing negotiations with DreamWorks Animation for production staff regarding initial contracts.

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Walt Disney Animation Studios for comment.

2022 marked the start of studio workers forming a union. This initiative led to a vote at the National Labor Relations Board in the subsequent year. A whopping 93% of union members who participated voted for The Animation Guild, signifying a significant victory. Contract negotiations commenced on April 11, 2024, for their first collective bargaining agreement.

Over the past few years, The Animation Guild has vigorously mobilized production workers throughout the industry, and they’ve marked the Disney workforce as their first union of feature film creators. The formation of the Disney union was preceded by a public union drive at DreamWorks Animation in early 2024.

In Hollywood, we’re big fans of the ‘underdog’ narrative. That’s exactly what our movement was – the underprivileged and undervalued joining forces to ask for fairer pay and equal opportunities alongside our creative peers,” Nicholas Ellingsworth, a production supervisor, declared in a statement. “Ultimately, our voices were heard and acknowledged, and we now have a roadmap to enhancing the working conditions within production management further.

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2025-03-07 02:54