Today (Monday, April 3) at noon, The Animation Guild leadership and Walt Disney Animation Studios artists joined Walt Disney Animation Studios production workers in a Solidarity Walk at Disney Studios. A supermajority of the production workers has expressed interest in being represented by the Union, and the walk was in response to studio leadership’s refusal to voluntarily recognize the organizing effort and their exclusion of specific job categories, specifically production managers and production supervisors.
More than 100 animation production workers and artists gathered at the Roy E. Disney Animation Building to hear words of support from The Animation Guild’s Business Representative Steve Kaplan. The group then walked the perimeter of the studio lot, along Riverside Drive, Buena Vista Street and Alameda Street to the entrance of the Michael D. Eisner Building, where a group of 12 representatives presented a petition to Mark Stubbington, Vice President, Labor Relations Counsel, Walt Disney Pictures and Television. The solidarity petition was signed by more than 18,000 animators, production workers and supporters.
“This is a historic day where The Animation Guild members are backing a group of people who are seeking to gain voluntary recognition from the company. It’s disappointing that the company is putting us in a position to have to justify what they’ve already provided other managers and supervisors across the entertainment industry,” Kaplan stated. “I’m proud to be able to stand with the group today to show that there is a majority of support for representation.”
In their push to join the Union, the production workers are demanding an end to unsustainable workplace practices such as low wages, unpaid overtime and unrealistic schedules. While the petition was being presented, production workers and Animation Guild members gave speeches to the crowd.
“[Disney] knows there are thousands of people like me willing to take a pay cut to follow their dreams, and they have taken advantage of it for long enough. It’s time for production management to be treated as the skilled craft that it is. And time for us to be paid a reasonable wage for the cost of living in Los Angeles,” said walk participant Jillian Howell, a production coordinator. “I have a career working for successful movies that are known across the globe, that are merchandised and profit well. I should not have to dog-sit and borrow money from my parents in order to make ends meet.”
Justin Weber, animator, Disney Shop Steward and a Guild Board Member, asserted, “Our production co-workers deserve a seat at the table just like the rest of the artists and technical directors, and we stand proudly with them in solidarity as they rightfully demand representation.”
The Animation Guild, also known as 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 and writers in the animation industry, advocating for workers to improve wages and conditions.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated the solidarity petition was signed by more than 10,000 individuals — this figure has been updated per new information from TAG.
