Marvel Studio’s visual effects (VFX) workers have made history by unanimously voting to unionize with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), according to an announcement made by the union on Wednesday.
The election was overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, with the vote count taking place on Tuesday after the Marvel employees initially filed for the election on August 7.
Mark Patch, the VFX Organizer for IATSE, said in a release, “Today, VFX workers at Marvel Studios have spoken with a unanimous, collective voice, demanding fair pay for their work hours, healthcare benefits, a safe and sustainable working environment, and respect for their contributions.”
This union specifically represents Marvel’s in-house VFX workers, but its parent company, Disney, is also seeing its visual effects crews filing for their own union election with the NLRB, backed by IATSE, as of late August. These unionizing VFX workers have played crucial roles in some of Walt Disney Pictures’ biggest hits, including the live-action adaptations of “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” according to IATSE.
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The election process is currently underway for Disney’s 18 in-house VFX crew members, according to IATSE.
Historically, VFX jobs have not been represented by unions, even though a wide range of positions within the field, from production design to lighting and props, fall under IATSE.
“I grew up dreaming of working on Marvel films, so when I started my first job at Marvel, I felt like I couldn’t complain about the unpaid overtime, the lack of meal breaks, and the incredible pressure put on VFX teams to meet deadlines because I was just supposed to be grateful to be here at all. But the reality is that every worker deserves rights,” shared Sarah Kazuko Chow, a VFX Coordinator at Marvel.
The wave of organizing in the VFX field coincides with the ongoing labor movement in Hollywood. Productions have come to a halt since the Writers Guild of America announced a strike in May, followed by members of SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) going on strike in July.
Also see: The reasons behind the Hollywood writers strike – and how it affects your viewing choices
Now, the Marvel VFX workers will enter into collective bargaining negotiations with their employer to develop a contract. No negotiation dates have been announced yet. CNN has reached out to Marvel for comment.
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