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Walt Disney Pictures VFX Workers Move to Unionize

FirmwareBurner 3y ago
Great for them, but out of curiosity, what's stopping Disney to let them all go and farm out VFX work to other non-unionized shops outside their studio? Disney already work with so many third party houses anyway for most of their movies.
- jncfhnb 3y ago
  What could possibly go wrong? These artists are surely fungible.
- patmorgan23 3y ago
  The National Labor Relations Act. That would be pretty clear retaliation against employees for Unionizing.
  - toomuchtodo 3y ago
    Also, if Disney attempts to union bust, they are now forced to immediately recognize the union and begin to bargain with them. https://prospect.org/labor/2023-08-28-bidens-nlrb-brings-workers-rights-back/ https://prospect.org/labor/2023-08-28-bidens-nlrb-brings-wor... https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-story/board-issues-decision-announcing-new-framework-for-union-representation https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-story/board-issues-d...
  - soligern 3y ago
    Then how can Starbucks, Chipotle etc. blatantly shut down stores in response to unionization?
    - LapsangGuzzler 3y ago
      I believe they tend to take action before a formal vote is held, which gives them plausible deniability.
      - MichaelZuo 3y ago
        Then it seems really easy to avoid?
        cyanydeez 3y ago
        The regulatory authority has changed it's interpretation of the rules recently.
  - nvm0n2 3y ago
    But nothing forces Disney to continue to fund this studio, or for other companies to give them VFX work to do. The reason for poor conditions in the VFX industry is always identified as the fact that, put bluntly, they are willing to take it to work on movies. No different to video games or other artistic endeavours. Until the field stops being fashionable enough for people to compete so aggressively, conditions won't improve and unions can't fix that.
Rebelgecko 3y ago
Am I reading this properly, Disney only has 18 in-house VFX employees?
- pandemicsyn 3y ago
  This is "Walt Disney Pictures" not Walt Disney Studios as a whole. Walt Disney Pictures is just one of a bunch of their production companies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Studios_(division) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Studios_(division)
  - MichaelZuo 3y ago
    There are a lot of subsidiaries: Walt Disney Pictures Disneynature Marvel Studios Marvel Animation Marvel Studios Animation Lucasfilm Industrial Light & Magic Skywalker Sound 20th Century Studios 20th Century Family Searchlight Pictures Walt Disney Animation Studios Pixar 20th Century Animation Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Buena Vista International Star Distribution Walt Disney Records Hollywood Records Disney Music Publishing Disney Concerts Buena Vista Records RMI Recordings Disney Theatrical Productions Buena Vista Theatrical Disney Theatrical Licensing Disney Live Family Entertainment (DLFE) Disney on Ice Disney Live! Walt Disney Special Events Group Disney Studio Production Services Walt Disney Studios Golden Oak Ranch The Prospect Studios Disney Studios Australia KABC7 Studio B Disney Digital Studio Services

Great for them, but out of curiosity, what's stopping Disney to let them all go and farm out VFX work to other non-unionized shops outside their studio? Disney already work with so many third party houses anyway for most of their movies.

jncfhnb 3y ago
What could possibly go wrong? These artists are surely fungible.
patmorgan23 3y ago
The National Labor Relations Act. That would be pretty clear retaliation against employees for Unionizing.
- toomuchtodo 3y ago
  Also, if Disney attempts to union bust, they are now forced to immediately recognize the union and begin to bargain with them. https://prospect.org/labor/2023-08-28-bidens-nlrb-brings-workers-rights-back/ https://prospect.org/labor/2023-08-28-bidens-nlrb-brings-wor... https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-story/board-issues-decision-announcing-new-framework-for-union-representation https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-story/board-issues-d...
- soligern 3y ago
  Then how can Starbucks, Chipotle etc. blatantly shut down stores in response to unionization?
  - LapsangGuzzler 3y ago
    I believe they tend to take action before a formal vote is held, which gives them plausible deniability.
    - MichaelZuo 3y ago
      Then it seems really easy to avoid?
      - cyanydeez 3y ago
        The regulatory authority has changed it's interpretation of the rules recently.
- nvm0n2 3y ago
  But nothing forces Disney to continue to fund this studio, or for other companies to give them VFX work to do. The reason for poor conditions in the VFX industry is always identified as the fact that, put bluntly, they are willing to take it to work on movies. No different to video games or other artistic endeavours. Until the field stops being fashionable enough for people to compete so aggressively, conditions won't improve and unions can't fix that.

Rebelgecko 3y ago

Am I reading this properly, Disney only has 18 in-house VFX employees?

pandemicsyn 3y ago
This is "Walt Disney Pictures" not Walt Disney Studios as a whole. Walt Disney Pictures is just one of a bunch of their production companies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Studios_(division) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Studios_(division)
- MichaelZuo 3y ago
  There are a lot of subsidiaries: Walt Disney Pictures Disneynature Marvel Studios Marvel Animation Marvel Studios Animation Lucasfilm Industrial Light & Magic Skywalker Sound 20th Century Studios 20th Century Family Searchlight Pictures Walt Disney Animation Studios Pixar 20th Century Animation Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Buena Vista International Star Distribution Walt Disney Records Hollywood Records Disney Music Publishing Disney Concerts Buena Vista Records RMI Recordings Disney Theatrical Productions Buena Vista Theatrical Disney Theatrical Licensing Disney Live Family Entertainment (DLFE) Disney on Ice Disney Live! Walt Disney Special Events Group Disney Studio Production Services Walt Disney Studios Golden Oak Ranch The Prospect Studios Disney Studios Australia KABC7 Studio B Disney Digital Studio Services