Nickelodeon Animation Ratifies Guild Contract Following Union Push

Nickelodeon Animation Workers have reached a contract agreement with the Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) on a series of wage increases, requirements for minimum staffing and more. the Animation Guild has been working closely with workers at Nickelodeon Animation Workers to form a contract that would benefit those that worked on 2D, 3D and production workers into a single contract. After a year of negotiations between Nickelodeon Animation Workers and the Animation Guild, this new contract has now been ratified with 89% of those voting in favor of the new contract that allows for wage increases, increased bereavement leave, and more in what is being described as a “milestone” agreement. 

As reported by The Wrap, Nickelodeon Animation Workers and the Animation Guild have ratified a new contract agreement that encompasses 2D, 3D, and production workers into a single contract. It’s stated to offer increased bereavement leave of up to three days, minimum staffing that will require at least two staff writers in addition to supervisory roles, increasing the compensation for storyboard artists who are also handling writing duties, wage increases for production workers, increases for CG supervisors and more. 

Nickelodeon Animation Workers Ratify New Contract

Representative for the Animation Guild, Steve Kaplan, said the following about the announcement, “The work of the Nickelodeon Animation Studios negotiation committee mirrored the cohesive solidarity of the negotiations committee that bargained the 2021-2024 master agreement,” Kaplan began. “We were able to get the company to voluntarily recognize animation production before negotiations and include production workers for the first time. The committee stood strong on all of our priority issues and helped deliver a groundbreaking agreement.”

Negotiations committee member Candice Stephenson said the following about the new agreement, “This contract is the direct result of not only a strong public showing of solidarity among our members, but also demonstrates the power of what multiple crafts working together can do.” 

If you wanted to see some of the work that those at Nickelodeon Animation have worked on over the years, you can now find animated series such as SpongeBob SquarePants (which is now in the midst of celebrating its 25th anniversary this year), The Loud House, The Patrick Star Show and more now streaming with Paramount+. 

How do you feel about Nickelodeon Animation Workers reaching a new agreement with the Animation Guild? Let us know all of your thoughts about it and everything Nickelodeon in the comments! 

HT – The Wrap