The Animation Guild(TAG) recently announced that they reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The negotiations for this contract began almost eight months ago.
As per a report in Variety, the contract has been extended several times, amid demands from animation professionals for a deal that would offer better pay and treatment from studios for their work. In a social-media campaign known as #NewDeal4Animation, the members demanded equal pay for their work compared to those who work in live-action productions.
According to the Animation Guild, the progress towards the final tentative agreement was made following counteroffers traded between February and May. The tentative deal will now go to members for a ratification vote, which will take place in late June.
The report mentions a statement where TAG business representative Steve Kaplan said, “I am incredibly proud of The Animation Guild members who volunteered their time and energy to the Negotiations Committee. The proposals we brought to the employers focused on making the work lives of our members better, and we have made significant progress towards achieving those goals. A #NewDeal4Animation does not stop today, we will continue to fight for the rights and benefits our members deserve, as well as ensuring all animation workers across the U.S. can use their collective voice to make similar changes.”
The new pact also includes better terms for writers and new media projects. A general membership meeting will be held by TAG in the coming week to provide further details and answer questions.
