Note: A previous version of the statement incorrectly stated that the Board voted unanimously to ratify the contract. The below statement has been corrected.
The Animation Guild Executive Board has released the following statement to its members in regard to the tentative agreement between The Animation Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
The statement follows reports in entertainment industry trades that three members of the Negotiating Committee — The Mitchells vs. the Machines director Mike Rianda, Spirit Rangers staff writer Joey Clift and Final Space staff writer Kelly Lynne D’Angelo — “posted on social media that they personally will be voting ‘no’ on the tentative contract” due to concerns that the new generative AI provisions did not offer strong enough protection to animation workers.
Statement from TAG Executive Board:
“The Animation Guild Executive Board voted unanimously to recommend ratification of the tentative agreement that you are voting on. We believe this agreement is the strongest contract the Union has negotiated in the last decade with significant craft improvements, substantial wage increases, and critical new protections. The Executive Board supports the agreement because Guild members as a whole stand to greatly benefit from its terms, across all crafts. As elected leaders, the Executive Board acts on behalf of the members we work with day to day, in hopes to secure a robust future for animation workers.
Unfortunately, there is a misleading media story giving a small minority an outsized voice suggesting lack of support for this contract. Out of 29 Negotiations Committee (NC) table team members, an overwhelming majority voted to reach tentative agreement and recommend ratification. More than 90% of the NC table team recognized the strength of this contract, given our leverage.
Generative AI is a complex and deeply concerning issue for our industry, and we recognize the passion and apprehension it has sparked among our members. We are absolutely committed to protecting our industry. It’s also important to understand that union contracts alone cannot solve this challenge, as seen in the recent contracts of other entertainment unions with far larger memberships and leverage than our own. Real long-term change requires broader solutions, alongside the GenAI guardrails we have gained in this contract. Changes include those within the Union — enforcement of existing protections, lobbying through TAG’s AI Watchdog Committee, organizing studios across the U.S. — and beyond, such as robust government regulations, public support for human-made work, and tax incentives that support human creativity.
Our job is to ensure members are protected and have a voice in shaping the future. The current agreement achieves this by incorporating AI safeguards, closing loopholes in New Media rates, and enhancing worker rights. It also secures outsized wage increases, with a retroactive 7% first-year boost across minimum rates and substantial gains for specific crafts, including a 25% increase for writers and wage parity for Color Designers, among other improvements.
This contract balances progress with leverage, addressing challenges and delivering meaningful gains that we have been working on for years during numerous contract cycles. We trust our members will see this as a significant step forward and vote yes to ratify the agreement.
Please reach out to us with any questions at e-board@tag839.org.”
More information on the 2024 Contract Ratification is available at tagnegotiations2024.com/ratification.
The Animation Guild, Local 839 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), was founded in 1952. The labor union represents more than 5,000 artists, technicians, writers and production workers in the animation industry, advocating for workers to improve wages and conditions.
