Marvel VFX workers vote to unionize in “historic first” for VFX industry

The long hot labor summer has stretched into the fall, and workers are making it clear that they have had enough. Yesterday it was announced that visual effects workers at Marvel Studios and seven of its subsidiaries voted unanimously to unionize by joining IATSE, the union which represents film professionals like camera operators, hair and makeup designers, sound editors, costumers and script supervisors, among others.

We first heard rumblings that Marvel VFX workers were pushing to unionize with IATSE a little over a month ago, and now that push has borne fruit with a unanimous 32-0 vote to join the labor union. “This unanimous result and high turnout demonstrate the Marvel VFX workers’ unwavering collective determination to secure the same rights and protections as their unionized peers in the broader motion picture and television production industry,” IATSE said in a statement, via Deadline.

Marvel VFX workers become first VFX unit in history to join IATSE

“Today, VFX workers at Marvel Studios spoke with a unanimous, collective voice, demanding fair pay for the hours they work, healthcare, a safe and sustainable working environment, and respect for the work they do,” said Mark Patch, IATSE’s VFX organizer. “There could be no stronger statement highlighting the overwhelming need for us to continue our work and bring union protections and standards to all VFX workers across the industry. And there could be no stronger example of the courage and solidarity of these workers than each and every one of them declaring ‘Union Yes.’”

“This is historic, and I’m glad to be part of it,” said Thomas Barnard, VFX coordinator at Marvel. “Not only will this radically change the game by increasing the quality of storytelling through our work, it’s also a huge step forward for taking care of the unsung individuals who helped to build the industry.”

"I grew up dreaming of working on Marvel films, so when I started my first job at Marvel, I felt like I couldn’t complain about the unpaid overtime, the lack of meal breaks, and the incredible pressure put on VFX teams to meet deadlines because I was just supposed to be grateful to be here at all. But the reality is that every worker deserves rights, and joining IATSE means we don’t have to choose between the job we love and having identities outside of our work."

VFX workers, assemble!

This is a big win for VFX workers, which according to IATSE’s statement have never had these sorts of union protections since the inception of the VFX industry more than half a century ago. Stories have been coming out for more than a year now about the poor working conditions for VFX workers at Marvel, which have coincided pretty clearly with criticisms of Marvel’s visual effects looking less good than they used to. Maybe better worker conditions will lead to better outcomes.

It is worth noting that the workers voting to unionize are specifically those employed by Marvel, Disney and their subsidiaries, although Marvel often utilizes third-party VFX houses as well. As of this writing it seems like those third party VFX companies won’t have these same union protections. Here’s hoping that this ends up being the first of many such labor wins for VFX companies to ensure they’re not worked to the bone in the name of shows and movies content.

This vote comes during a time of increased union activity not just in Hollywood, where the actors and writers guilds are both currently on strike, but for the United States as a whole; as of this writing, we’re waiting to see if the people in the United Auto Workers, an enormous labor union, are going to go on strike. How these strikes resolve could have a large effect on the business climate in the U.S. for years to come, so we’ll be watching with great interest.

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