The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television
Producers (AMPTP) have concluded their first week of negotiations without reaching an
agreement.
On Monday, August 12th, members of the TAG Negotiations table team met with the AMPTP at
their offices in Sherman Oaks, with dozens of TAG Negotiations support team members
attending via Zoom. Steve Kaplan, TAG’s Business Representative and lead negotiator, shared a
presentation of the proposals TAG submitted to the AMPTP. These proposals addressed critical
issues facing the animation industry and TAG members that included AI protections, improving
streaming provisions, craft-specific issues, and job security. The producers then shared their
proposals with the Union’s bargaining team.
Following the first day of bargaining, TAG’s Negotiations Committee met throughout the week
to review the AMPTP’s proposals, counter-proposals, and prepare appropriate responses. By
late Thursday, Aug. 20th, it was clear that while the Union was able to achieve tentative
agreements on a few subjects, the two parties remain far apart on key issues
affecting animation workers.
TAG is committed to returning to the table on Sept. 16 to focus on issues decimating the
animation industry. Though negotiations have moved more slowly than anticipated, progress is
being made, and so the Negotiations Committee voted to extend the contract through Sept. 20,
2024 to allow for the second week of discussions.
“We came to the negotiations with a list of concerns and changes prioritized by TAG members.
It is disappointing, but not surprising, that we could not get meaningful responses back for all
the issues we shared in the first week,” says Business Representative Steve Kaplan. “The
Negotiations Committee looks forward to resuming our discussions in September when we
expect the AMPTP will provide substantive responses and be prepared to make the necessary
changes animation workers are asking for.”
More information about TAG’s negotiations can be found at
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The Animation Guild, also known as Local 839 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Employees (IATSE), was founded in 1952 as a labor union. Today, the Guild represents more
than 5,000 talented artists, technicians, writers, and production workers in the animation
industry, advocating for workers to improve wages and conditions. Learn more at