Marvel Studios’ visual effects workforce has made a groundbreaking decision by voting unanimously in favor of unionizing with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), as officially announced by the company on Wednesday. This pivotal moment represents the very first instance of an exclusive unit comprised solely of visual effects (VFX) professionals joining forces with IATSE.
The process leading up to this momentous vote began with the Marvel Studios VFX workers filing for the election on August 7. Subsequently, the votes were cast and tallied between August 21 and September 11. During the final vote count on September 12, the outcome was remarkable, with every single vote overwhelmingly in support of unionizing with IATSE, and none opposed.
Mark Patch, the VFX organizer for IATSE, conveyed the significance of this achievement, stating, “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. 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!’”
Marvel VFX Unionization
This pivotal vote transpired amid mounting concerns within the industry, particularly with regard to the demanding workload and tight deadlines faced by VFX teams working on MCU movies like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which received mixed reviews, as well as other blockbuster productions with intricate special effects such as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Marvel Studios stands as the sole in-house VFX team to have successfully unionized with IATSE thus far, although Walt Disney Pictures VFX personnel took strides towards unionizing in late August.
Thomas Barnard, a VFX coordinator at Marvel, expressed his enthusiasm for this historic development, saying, “This is historic and I’m glad to be part of it. Not only will this radically change the game by increasing the quality of storytelling through our work, but it’s also a huge step forward for taking care of the unsung individuals who helped to build the industry.”
