Wish Granted: Walt Disney Animation Studios Production Workers Vote To Unionize In Labor Board Election

After a months-long process, production workers at Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS) have voted to unionize with The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839, in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election.

The workers’ unionization effort started in March when they first voted to unionize with TAG. The studio refused voluntary recognition of the union, forcing the NLRB to intervene. In September, the NLRB issued a Direction of Election allowing workers to hold a binding union vote.

Voting occurred from October 10 to 31, and votes were counted on November 1. In the end, 63 of the 68 production workers who voted, or 93%, did so in favor of unionizing with IATSE. If no objections to the results are filed in the next five days, the union will be certified, and contract negotiations between the union and WDAS will begin.

After the NLRB results were announced, TAG tweeted:

Congratulations to the production workers at Disney Feature Animation! Today, they voted in an election to be represented by @IATSE and TAG. With 96% voter turnout, 93% voted yes!!! Let’s celebrate!

IATSE re-tweeted the post, adding:

BREAKING: Production Department Workers at Disney Feature Animation have unionized by an overwhelming margin!!!!! Workers across the industry continue organizing at an unprecedented pace during the ongoing film/tv work stoppages.

It’s been a big year for Disney employees interested in unionizing. In September, vfx workers at Disney-owned Marvel Studios unionized with IATSE and in October, their vfx colleagues at Walt Disney Pictures voted to do the same.