Animation, Animation Guild, Breaking News, Guilds, IATSE, Labor, Shadowmachine, Television

ShadowMachine Production Workers Vote To Unionize With Animation Guild

Production workers at ShadowMachine, the Los Angeles-based animation house behind BoJack Horseman, Final Space and Human Discoveries, have voted to unionize with the Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839. The 6,000-member guild already represents the animators who work there.

Subject to an independent verification of the authorization cards, the guild said that ShadowMachine “will voluntarily recognize” it as the exclusive bargaining representative of a group of 37 production workers that includes production managers, post-production supervisors, writers’ assistants, production assistants and coordinators.

According to Local 839 organizer Ben Speight, this is the fifth successful organizing campaign for the guild in the past five months, following the artists and production workers who voted to unionize at Titmouse in New York, production workers at Titmouse in Los Angeles and production workers on the series Rick and Morty and Solar Opposites.

Guild-provided quotes from ShadowMachine production workers who were part of the organizing drive describe the need for union representation in the animation industry. Here is a sampling:

“There have been times where I felt that I’d have to leave this industry because of the way production workers in particular are undervalued,” said retakes coordinator Katrina Agretelis. “It’s time to make a change and join forces with the artists at TAG to work towards a more sustainable animation industry.”

Said design coordinator Melissa Lam: “Production and artists must stand on equal ground to successfully make a show and to create an inviting studio culture that encourages all the people involved to want to return and do it again. I voted yes for recognition, appreciation, and respect for production workers, because I know that it will benefit the future of the animation industry as a whole.”

Said production manager David Weiser: “By ShadowMachine recognizing our union, they can show that they are interested in caring for their production workers as much as they do their artists and be pioneers for the industry by being the 3rd studio to allow production workers to be recognized by The Animation Guild.

And production manager Ryn Soorholtz said: “Having experience in both the TV and feature sectors of animation, I can confidently say that it is time for a change. For too long, Production has been left behind when it comes to wages, benefits, and workers’ rights. These issues are not specific to ShadowMachine, but to the industry as a whole. It’s because I love working at ShadowMachine, that I want to make sure we can work here sustainably.”

Products You May Like

Articles You May Like

Joni Mitchell Returns Music to Spotify After Two-Year Protest
Field Of Dreams And Bull Durham Vet Kevin Costner Celebrates MLB Opening Day With A Heartfelt Salute To Baseball
‘Extended Family’: Mike O’Malley Addresses Season One Finale, Chances Of Renewal & Hollywood Contraction
Save 35% on the Crest Whitestrips Chrishell Stause & Paige DeSorbo Use
Logan Lerman Details How He Proposed to Fiancée Ana Corrigan

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *