Union drive at Netflix animation studios SpindleHorse and Ted, spearheaded by artists seeking unionization with The Animation Guild.
In a significant development for the animation industry, production workers at SpindleHorse Animation Studios, known for producing the Prime Video series "Hazbin Hotel" and "Helluva Boss," have received voluntary union recognition from the independent studio. This move follows a similar decision by production workers at Netflix Animation, who have requested union recognition from the studio, aiming to join Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839 (TAG).
SpindleHorse's union recognition includes 106 artists across multiple crafts, such as storyboard artists, background designers, illustrators, 2D FX artists, and more. The agreement aims to elevate SpindleHorse as a studio and provide employees with the opportunity to take ownership of their careers and build a more sustainable community.
Kelly Simmons, a production coordinator at SpindleHouse, expressed her enthusiasm about the progress made in a short amount of time and encouraged others to fight for positive change in their workplaces. Similarly, Ana Tessier, a production coordinator at Netflix, voiced her support for unionization, stating, "Production workers in animation deserve the same protections as artists, we deserve to fight for sustainable careers."
TAG organizer Ben Speight states that TAG supports animation workers regardless of their location. The unionization campaigns are gaining traction across various studios, including Netflix, SpindleHorse, and NBC Universal's "Ted." A group of 12 production workers on the series "Ted" have also requested to join The Animation Guild and The Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700.
SpindleHorse artists, including Melanie An (Clean Up/Renderer) and Amelia Kasten (Storyboard Artist), express excitement about negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. The Netflix production coordinator, Ana Tessier, also expressed her excitement about having a seat at the negotiating table and being inspired by organizing efforts at other studios.
The unionization efforts in the animation industry aim to provide production workers with the same protections as artists and help create sustainable careers. These efforts are inspiring other production teams to join and work towards creating a stable future for the industry. SpindleHorse is leading the charge in the indie animation industry by pushing for stability for its team.
The upcoming second season of "Hazbin Hotel" will premiere on Oct. 29. The founders of SpindleHouse Animation Studios, which merged with TAG, are Michael Kovach and Trudy Cooper. The campaigns for labor organizing are gaining momentum across the animation industry, including streaming features, prime-time productions, and independent studios.
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