The VFX department at Marvel is banding together to unionize amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
On Monday, a group of more than 50 on-set employees gathered to petition for an election to be represented by the Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) with the National Labor Relations Board, reports Vulture. The election is hoped to be held as early as August 21.
This petition is a historical highlight, making the first time a VFX department has ever demanded the same rights, wage protections and professional watchdog oversight that most entertainment industry experiences.
VFX organizer for IATSE, Mark Patch, said, “For almost half a century, workers in the visual-effects industry have been denied the same protections and benefits their coworkers and crewmates have relied upon since the beginning of the Hollywood film industry. This is a historic first step for VFX workers coming together with a collective voice demanding respect for what we do.”