160 Production Workers Have Unionized At Dreamworks Animation

Production workers from Dreamworks Animation’s feature and television units have voted to unionize under The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839, and the Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700, in a National Labor Relations Board election.

The group of 160 people is the single largest unit of production workers yet to unionize. Dreamworks, however, will be significantly cutting staff in the coming months, and it is unknown how the layoffs may impact this group of workers.

From a long-term point of view, it’s a major victory for TAG. It means that they have now organized over 70% of production workers (at least 1,300 people) across the studios that the union represents, alongside the thousands of artists and technicians who were already represented by TAG. That’s a remarkable statistic considering that TAG’s push to cover production workers is only a couple years old.

“We won’t stop organizing animation production until all work is covered,” TAG organizer Allison Smartt said in a statement. “These folks deserve a voice on the job and the benefits and protections of a Union contract just as much as anyone else.”

Added Rachel Carlson, who is an assistant to director/producer in Dreamworks’s feature animation department: “I am very proud of everyone who chose to participate in this process, making informed decisions and making their voice matter through the vote. It is validating to already see the positive effects of uniting under a cause and we will use this positive momentum as we begin the negotiation process. Our work is far from over but we are stronger than ever and excited to have our voices heard.”

The Animation Guild and the Editors Guild will now work to support their new members as they negotiate their first collective bargaining agreement.