BURBANK, Calif.—DreamWorks remote workers ended 2025 with a vote to unionize, and months later, on Aug. 21, they have overwhelmingly ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. The organizing victory saw 97% of participants voting in favor of the contract. Of the 108 eligible voters, 90 cast ballots, representing an impressive 83.3% voter turnout.
The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839, which represents the workers, announced in a press release that the victory underscores “that all animation workers (regardless of zip code) should be given the same rights and protections.”
Before the contract, remote workers organized around what they explained as longstanding inequities between remote and on-campus employees. This included unequal wages, benefits, and job protections. The union asserts that the newly signed contract delivers parity with on-campus workers, including pension and healthcare coverage.
“This contract is a huge victory for DreamWorks remote artists but also for the animation industry as a whole,” said Anthony Holden, DreamWorks Story Artist and member of the Negotiation Committee. “Our coworkers who work in-person at studios in L.A. [Los Angeles] enjoy mobility between employers with guaranteed benefits, such as healthcare coverage and a pension plan. Many of us remote DreamWorkers have served for years (and in some cases decades) in the same industry without the same protections.”
Key agreement gains include retirement and healthcare benefits—the same healthcare and pension plans as on-campus workers—and wage increases that establish the same minimum wage standards that apply under TAG’s Master Agreement.
The lowest-paid remote artist covered by the agreement will see compensation increase from $40.82 per hour to $62.22 per hour, representing a 52.4% wage increase.
“Now we can work under the same terms as our union brothers and sisters. This contract represents an important shift towards broader industry change that values and respects not only artists’ skills but also our right to choose to live in locations around the country that are best for our families and personal circumstances,” Holden noted.
The organizing effort comes at a time when Hollywood—and the entertainment industry as a whole—has continued to face challenges, including a decrease in production both globally and in Los Angeles, company mega-mergers, and the looming threat of AI to creatives’ jobs. This tumultuous climate has galvanized many workers to seek unionization, recognizing the stronger collective power it gives them.
On the heels of the DreamWorks ratification, Production Management Workers at Sony Pictures Animation voted on Aug. 27 to join TAG as well. This was after the workers sought voluntary recognition from the company. Sony declined the request and instead required workers to proceed through an NLRB election.
TAG noted that the voting results “demonstrated strong support for union representation,” with 95% voter participation and 84% voting in favor of unionizing.
“Despite Sony’s deliberate attempts to challenge our movement, when the rubber hits the road, we’re all in favor of dignity and respect in the workplace,” said Grayson Arndt, Sr. Administrative Assistant. “Now it’s time to take our seat at the table.”
Production Coordinator Maddie Rodriguez added: “It’s exciting to follow in the footsteps of so many animation production workers before us, and it’s continually heartening to know that we were never alone. So many of us have wanted this for so long. Together, we are Prod Strong!”
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