The VFX Workers At Marvel Studios Have Filed To Join The IATSE Union:
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees says that visual effects teams at Marvel Studios filed with the National Labor Relations Board on Monday for a union election.
The union said that more than 50 workers at Marvel had signed permission cards saying they wanted the union to represent them.
50 Workers At Marvel Had Signed Cards Saying They Wanted The Union To Represent Them:
These are VFX experts who work directly for Marvel. Most of them are based within Atlanta, Los Angeles, as well as New York. It doesn’t count the thousands of VFX artists who work for third-party VFX companies on Marvel movies.
We found out that Marvel has not yet accepted the union movement on its own. When asked for feedback, Marvel didn’t answer right away.
Recently A News Came Out That How Marvel Studios Overwork And Underpaying Its VFX Workers:
Call it the Avengers Assemble of gathering workers in Hollywood. After more than a year of bad news about how Marvel Studios overworks and underpays its visual-effects workers on its big movies and streaming shows, VFX crews at Marvel have finally asked the studio to let them join a union.
On Monday, more than 50 on-set workers asked the National Labor Relations Board for an election to be portrayed by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. The employees want the election to happen as soon as August 21.
The VFX Industry Has Been Mostly Non-Union Since Star Wars Started In The Modern Era Of Visual Effects In The Late 1970:
Since Star Wars started the modern age of visual effects within the late 1970s, there haven’t been many unions in the VFX business. IATSE, at least, thinks it’s time for a big change.
After Rhythm & Hues went bankrupt after finishing the Oscar-winning production of Life of Pi, the VFX business looked into the possibility of forming a union ten years ago, but it never happened.
Recently, a new attempt to organize began, and today’s news is the first step by the initial group to join this plan. At this point, it’s not clear if these artists could operate under an existing IATSE Local or if a new one would be made.
Mark Patch Stated That Workers Within The Visual Effects Business Haven’t Had The Same Rights And Perks As Their Coworkers And Crewmates:
IATSE’s VFX leader, Mark Patch, said that workers within the visual effects business haven’t had the same rights and perks as their coworkers as well as crewmates since the earliest days of the Hollywood film industry.
“This is a significant start for VFX workers to come together and demand respect for the work we do as a group.”
Even though the labor movement within Hollywood has shown how strong it is by basically shutting down business within the entertainment industry, which shows the power of unions, there are probably other things going on as well.
Victoria Alonso Is The In Charge Of VFX At Marvel:
After a few rough months in the field, people are trying to work together. Victoria Alonso was in charge of VFX at Marvel, but she was fired in March for reasons that had nothing to do with her job.
Also, Marvel was in the news for all the wrong reasons when unnamed VFX professionals complained about long hours as well as seven-day weeks, among other things.
Isabella Huffman, who worked on Marvel’s Hawkeye as a visual effects producer, said within a statement that conditions for employees in that portion of the business were hard.
This Was The First Time Were VFX Worker Came Together To Ask For The Same Right:
This is the first time that people who work in visual effects have come together to ask for the same rights, earnings benefits, and professional control that workers in nearly every other part of the entertainment business have.
The vast majority of Marvel’s 52-person on-set production crew signed permission cards to show they want to be backed by the powerful labor union that represents about 170,000 artisans, technicians, stagehands, as well as craftspeople in TV, film, as well as live theater in the US and Canada.
“Turnaround times aren’t relevant to us, secured hours don’t apply to us, as well as pay equity isn’t applicable to us,” she said in IATSE’s statement.
“Visual Effects has to establish a reliable and secure department for anybody who has been hurt for too long as well as for all newbies who must be aware that they won’t be used.”
The effort to unionize is happening at the same time as the Hollywood strike and at the same time as a rise in unionization efforts at companies like Amazon and Starbucks across the United States.
Unions Is Enjoy Their Highest Approval Rating Since The 1960:
Gallup, a polling company, says that unions are also getting the most support they have had since the 1960s.
IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb said, “We’re seeing a wave of unity that has never been seen before. It’s breaking down old barriers within the industry and showing that we’re all in this fight together.”
That doesn’t just happen by itself. All over the world, people who work in the entertainment industry stand up for each other’s rights. This is what our cause is all about. I want to thank these workers for taking this significant action as well as speaking up as a group.”