- by Graham Holton
- The Guardian
- Issue #2146
However you feel about VFX, aka special effects produced using a mixture of live-action and Computer-Generated Imagery, it’s ubiquitous in the superhero and action blockbuster business. It’s also unionised.
On 16 May the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) announced that its VFX members had ratified their first three contracts after collective bargaining for visual effects workers at Marvel, Disney, and ‘Avatar’ in Hollywood. The agreements were won after a hard-fought battle beginning in 2023 when they officially unionised. The new contracts give workers the same benefits and rights as co-workers in other crafts, including overtime, minimum rates, healthcare and pension contributions. It’s the first time that visual effects workers in Hollywood have had union representation to gain a negotiated contract. The Disney and Marvel contract extends for four years, with a three year contract for the next Avatar movie.
VFX workers have been fighting for equitable pay, pay transparency, job security, industry wide over-time pay with penalty rates and the choice between TOIL (Time Off in Lieu) or pay, sustainable career paths and sustainable workloads. Staff on Level 2 earn less than US$14,999 a year ($23,370 AUD) and those on Level 3 earn up to US$29,000 ($45,182)
Christopher Cornejo, a member leader of the Walt Disney Studios subsidiary TCF and a Creature & Character senior technical director, said, “I am beyond proud of the bravery and hard work shown by my co-workers as we ratify the first ever VFX union contract!” Cael Liakos-Gilbert, VFX data wrangler at Marvel told Brian Welk at IndieWire: “Seeing this come together after over two years as an organiser, contract negotiator, and now a founding union member is one of the proudest moments of my life.” Mack Robinson, VFX coordinator at Disney, told Welk: “This agreement with Disney and Marvel is what I hope is just the first step to a broader change for the VFX industry.” Matthew D Loeb, the International President of IATSE, congratulated the VFX bargaining units on negotiating “fair contracts that earned such strong support.”
IATSE represents more than 170,000 technicians, artisans and crafts persons in the US entertainment industry. It is hoped that other VFX professionals across North America will also unionise and join the cause.
