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Will Animators Go On Strike Over These Issues?
By Movieguide® Contributor
AI protection and job security sit at the forefront of negotiations as The Animation Guild (TAG) renews its contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
TAG’s contract with most major Hollywood studios expired on Friday, allowing the union to negotiate a new contract covering the next three years. The union’s negotiation committee has announced it will focus on three issues that are jeopardizing job security for animators: AI, layoffs and outsourcing.
Having control over the use of AI is something creatives have fought for across the industry. During last year’s dual strikes, this was a sticking point for both the writers and actors, and they ultimately wrangled control of the technology from the AMPTP. TAG hopes to do the same for its members and stabilize the estimated 29% of animation jobs predicted to be disrupted by the technology in the next three years.
Many in the industry equate the introduction of AI into the animation space as similar to the switch from hand-drawn animation to computer animation in the 1980s.
“There [has] always [been] a cadre of executives who rub their hands together with glee at the thought of getting rid of a lot of artists,” former TAG president and USC School of Cinematic Art professor Tom Sito told The Hollywood Reporter. However, the tools from computers still need talented artists and have only strengthened the abilities that animators now have. “Today, similar claims are being made about AI. We shall see,” he added.
Another problem TAG will be looking to address during these talks will be the massive layoffs that have plagued the union since 2023. Last year’s dual strikes took a major toll on creatives in the industry who have since struggled to land jobs in the tighter landscape. Internal research from TAG estimates that a third of its total membership — roughly 5,000 people — have been laid off within the past year.
These layoffs have been only exacerbated by significant outsourcing to non-union members working in different countries. These animators — most often working in Europe and Asia — can be hired for cheaper, saving studios money but cutting opportunities for Hollywood-based workers.
Both of these problems are expected to be addressed through a push for staffing minimums. This would stipulate that studios are required to hire a certain amount of TAG animators when working with the union. The Writers’ Guild of America was able to secure a similar protection when it inked its new contract last year.
While strikes have proven to be unions’ go-to method to achieve their negotiation goals, TAG may be reluctant to invoke this action as its union members are already struggling as is. Nonetheless, the union has received full support from the other entertainment guilds and will have significant leverage as it works with the AMPTP to negotiate a new deal.
“We stand with the members of TAG as they seek contractual provisions that set fair wages and working conditions, prevent overwork, and safeguard workers from the impact of artificial intelligence,” a joint statement from the Hollywood unions and guilds reads. “TAG negotiates independently of IATSE’s West Coast Studio Locals to address the unique priorities of animation workers, and they do so with our full collective backing.”
In beginning negotiations with the AMPTP, TAG joins the video game actors protected by SAG-AFTRA who are also currently bargaining for a new contract. After 18 months of negotiations, these actors were finally forced to strike as the major studios refused to offer them the AI protections they desired.
Movieguide® previously reported:
After more than a year and a half of ongoing negotiations, video game actors represented by SAG-AFTRA have decided to go on strike due to unresolved issues in the realm of AI.
“Eighteen months of negotiations have shown us that our employers are not interested in fair, reasonable AI protections, but rather flagrant exploitations,” said Interactive Media Agreement Negotiation Committee Chair Sarah Elmaleh. “We refuse this paradigm — we will not leave any of our members behind, nor will we wait for sufficient protection any longer.”
“We look forward to collaborating with teams on our Interim and Independent contractors, which provide AI transparency, consent and compensation to all performers, and to continuing to negotiate in good faith with this bargaining group when they are ready to join us in the world we all deserve,” Elmaleh continued.
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and video game studios began in October 2022. Even as the dual strikes struck Hollywood last summer, video game performers were willing to wait for the large studios to come around to fair AI protections without forcing their hand. Unfortunately, their patience has not paid off, and with negotiations at a standstill after nearly two years, they have been forced to strike.
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