Nickelodeon Partners With Animation Guild Following Recent Unionization

It seems like recent efforts by workers at Nickelodeon to unionize are paying off. According to a new report by Deadline, the company has agreed to work with The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839, voluntarily as production workers requested the organization to act as their bargaining rep. This move comes after Nickelodeon production workers voted to unionize at the end of 2023.

“I am glad that we were able to reach an agreement where Nickelodeon Animation Studios recognized both the determination of the animation production workers and our long-standing productive labor relations relationship,” Steve Kaplan, Local 839’s business rep, shared after the deal was announced. “I look forward to bargaining a successor agreement.”

For those confused by what this move means in layman’s terms, it essentially takes Nickelodeon’s newly unionized workers a step further on their journey. The Animation Guild will meet with the company to negotiate a contract on behalf of the production workers. This is far from the first instance Nickelodeon has worked with the guild as well. Currently, The Animation Guild has a collective bargaining agreement with Nickelodeon that represents over 400 artists.

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Addressing the new deal, Nickelodeon Animation Studios’ EVP of Production and Operations Brian Keane said this deal will ensure the company’s production workers are heard. “[Nickelodeon] supports its talented and dedicated production workers who play an instrumental role in the making of our content. The studio’s collaborative relationship with The Animation Guild spans many years, and we look forward to bargaining an agreement with the union covering this new group of employees.”

This bit of news is certainly a joy for animation lovers to hear. The medium has become increasingly popular in the past decade as everything from anime to adult animation is on the rise. Despite a slew of cancellations at HBO Max, animation is still a focus for the team at Nickelodeon. And soon, the company’s production workers will join The Animation Guild as clients at the bargaining table.

What do you make of this latest Nickelodeon update? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.