Marvel, Disney VFX artists agree to first union contract

After a long wait and a struggle for better working conditions, visual effects (VFX) artists with Marvel and Disney voted to ratify their first union contract.

The contract reportedly gives workers the sorts of rights, protections, and rules often offered by a union: things like overtime pay, access to pension plans, minimum wage increases, and rest periods, to name a few.

The Disney/Marvel contract under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) also includes raises of 4 percent in the first year and 3.5 percent in the second year, Variety reported. The VFX team for the Avatar franchise also struck a deal, under a separate agreement.

“I want to congratulate the member of these VFX bargaining units on negotiating fair contracts that earned such strong support. From when they started this process until today, the leadership and determination shown by these members has been an inspiration,” ATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb said in a statement.

VFX workers at the shops voted to unionize over the last few years amid reports of long hours and wildly tight deadlines.

“This is not just a victory for Marvel/Disney, but a much-needed win for the entire VFX industry,” Cael Liakos-Gilbert, a VFX data wrangler at Marvel, said in a statement. “We’ve proven what is possible through determination and willpower, and don’t have to speculate or be shrouded in cynicism and doubt any longer.”