Hundreds of Animation Guild (TAG) workers marched today to Netflix’s Burbank office to present a petition signed by almost 2,000 working TAG members to Netflix executives. The goal of the petition to remind the execs in chrage that while animation workers kept content alive during the Covid lockdown, and animation is currently outperforming live action on screens and in merchandise sales, animation workers are facing unprecedented levels of unemployment, losing their healthcare, homes, and livelihoods. They are also concerned about how many studios are planning to replace employees with AI in the very near future.
TAG has been in negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) since August. The Guild’s priority issues are still on the table. They are fighting to get the best deal possible for animation workers that includes fair wages, job security, and common-sense guardrails around Generative AI use. This first “March on the Boss” is part of a series of actions to show employers that TAG members will stand together for as long as it takes to get the contract they deserve.
“Delivering this petition is flexing our power as a union,” said Elianne Melendez, production coordinator and negotiations committee member. Workers, who have given a lot to this industry, are partners with the studios, but have not been treated as such. This is showing the AMPTP that we won’t be the so-called nice union any longer.”
“I’m marching for human-made art in animation,” says vis-dev artist and character designer Shannon Hallstein. Vis-dev artist Nash Dunnigan says: “My biggest fear right now is AI. We need to have guardrails to protect all of us and make sure animation has heart and people behind it – not algorithms.”
“We need to have staffing minimums, or this industry is going to go away,” says showrunner Joanna Lewis, who also attended the march. “Our children will not be able to be animators in the future. It will cease to be a viable career path. They’re outsourcing our jobs to different countries, and with the threat of AI, it’s become an existential threat.”
For more info on the ongoing TAG negotiations visit TAGnegotiations2024.com
Source: The Animation Guild.
