Animation Worker Rally In Burbank Wants Cartoon Fans To Come Out And Show Support

Ahead of upcoming contract negotiations with film and tv studios, The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839, is inviting animation fans to join them for a rally this weekend.

Hundreds of Animation Guild members are expected to gather for the Stand With Animation Rally this Saturday in Burbank, California. The event is intended as a show of strength as they kick off negotiations next Monday with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the entertainment companies.

Speakers at this weekend’s rally include Burbank mayor Nick Schultz, assembly member Laura Friedman, IATSE vice president Mike Miller, Animation Guild president Jeanette Moreno King, as well as performer Adam Conover and TAG’s “Animation Avengers,” a group of top artists in the field.

Key issues in the upcoming negotiations include artificial intelligence, mass layoffs, and outsourcing. “This rally is more than a show of solidarity — it’s a powerful declaration of our collective strength as we enter these crucial negotiations,” Guild president Moreno King said in a statement. “Our beloved animation industry faces an existential threat from AI, and our livelihoods are at risk as studios devalue our work, squeezing every penny from the very people who make them billions. We rally together to shout our collective ‘No!’”

The rally is set to take place in Burbank this Saturday, August 10, from 5-6:30 pm at IATSE Local 80 (2520 West Olive Avenue). Everyone, including fans, can register to attend the event HERE.

Learn more about the upcoming contract negotiations with entertainment companies at TAGnegotiations2024.com.