The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839, announced that 11 animation workers at Whiteboard Geeks in Virginia have filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to form a union and be represented by TAG.
“Calling for a union is and has always been about uplifting workers’ voices and working in tandem to make the entire company better, inside and out,” commented Z Wang, a video editor at the studio. “Whiteboard Geeks cannot grow and thrive in a healthy manner if we are each suffering over it individually, so I am seeking to not only create better conditions we have all been asking for, but to also protect the environment that formed my affection for this company in the first place.”
Virginia now becomes the fourth state/territory where animation workers will be represented by TAG outside California, following New York, Texas and Puerto Rico. The group of workers at Whiteboard Geeks who have initiated this unionization effort includes script writers, video editors, production assistants and managers. TAG notes this move is an essential step towards improving workplace conditions, securing fair wages and enhancing the rights of animation professionals in Virginia.
“We have already come together to declare our intentions and are determined to see our strength recognized at the bargaining table,” said scriptwriter Phillip Hilliker. “As the first animation union in Virginia, we hope this action will not only improve the working conditions at WBG, but also help set a new, sustainable path for creatives across the Commonwealth.”
Whiteboard Geeks’ decision to unionize aligns with a broader trend within the animation industry, where workers across the country have been increasingly seeking representation to advocate for their rights and interests. This milestone in Virginia occurred on the heels of a recent NLRB election for production workers at Walt Disney Animation Studios — a landslide success with 96% of eligible voters participating and 93% of those votes counted November 1 cast in favor of unionizing.
The Animation Guild, also known as Local 839 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), was founded in 1952. The labor union represents more than 5,000 artists, technicians and writers in the animation industry, advocating for workers to improve wages and conditions.
