IATSE has been up to quite a bit in these past few months that I haven't had a chance to cover for one reason or another—here's a few headlines that should get their due now.
The Animation Guild (TAG) successfully organized in Puerto Rico last month!
IATSE is the union under which The Animation Guild (TAG) is organized, and last month TAG scored a big victory in Puerto Rico. Gladius Studios—a San Juan-based animation studio—unionized, becoming TAG's first victory outside the continental US. Although they're not a prominent studio, Gladius is actually one of the largest animation companies in the Caribbean and they do quite a lot of work. Their scope might be best indicated by the jobs the union represents—although the union is just 14 strong it includes "modelers, a visual development artist, [an] animator, [a] concept artist, [a] graphic designer, [a] UI/UX artist, [a] compositor, [a] lighting artist, [a] gameplay programmer, and [a] rigger."
One of their modelers, Sylvette Rosario, was also quite clear that unionization wasn't just about the workers of Gladius themselves, but about making Puerto Rico's small animation industry more competitive:
We wanted to have a voice, and be heard. But also we want to make Gladius a more sustainable place to work, opening more doors to retain creative talent in Puerto Rico.
Broadway workers ratify the renegotiated Pink Contract
A few weeks ago IATSE called a strike authorization vote for its workers on the Pink Contract—workers directly employed by stage productions, in short. That strike, had it occurred, would have shuttered almost all Broadway productions. A tentative agreement between the Broadway League and IATSE quickly followed, and earlier this month was ratified by about 70-30.
According to IATSE, wins on the new Pink Contract include:
The Health Care plan will stay the same for the length of the contract with no added cost to workers. Both Heads and Assistants would see wage increases to match the street rate for touring shows, with Broadway minimum rates increasing to move towards parity with similar workers in other Locals. Employers would be required to provide hotel accommodations and increase the daily per diem, reducing touring workers’ out-of-pocket expenses as hotel and food costs continue to rise. And for the first time ever, the bargaining committee got the employers to agree on language which provides a day off for workers, as the union has emphasized for years.
Employees at Rochester-based game studio Workinman Interactive file for union election with IATSE
IATSE may also be on its way to representing its first ever video game union! The employees of Workinman Interactive—a Rochester, NY game studio that specializes in what I think are best described as apps—filed for an election with the NLRB. today Although their employers refused to voluntarily recognize the union, a supermajority of the company signed union cards with IATSE and there seems to be broad optimism about the unionization effort.