DreamWorks remote staff approve first union contract, matching studio wages and benefits
Remote employees at DreamWorks Animation voted overwhelmingly to adopt a collective bargaining agreement that gives them the same pay scales, health coverage and pension benefits as on-site staff.
DreamWorks Animation’s remote workforce ratified its inaugural union contract on Aug. 21, with 97% of participants voting in favor. The agreement, attached to the IATSE Local 839 Master Agreement via a sideletter, grants remote animators, story artists and technical staff the same pension and health plans as on-campus employees, including $0 individual premiums. Wage floors were also standardized, lifting the lowest remote hourly rate from $40.82 to $62.22, a 52.4% increase.
Negotiators such as Anthony Holden described the outcome as a significant victory for remote creators and a catalyst for industry-wide change. The unit covers a range of roles across the United States, from story artists to production coordinators. In a related development, Sony Pictures Animation workers voted on Aug. 27 to join the same guild after an NLRB-supervised election, with 84% supporting unionization. Both votes underscore growing momentum for collective bargaining in the animation field.
Why it matters
The deal equalizes pay and benefits for remote animation workers, setting a precedent for industry-wide labor standards.
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