Workers Attempt to Join IATSE
As it continues to press forward with its campaign to organize visual effects workers, IATSE has made a bid to represent a small group of these professionals who work on Apple television series.
On Friday the union announced that it had submitted a petition to the National Labor Relations Board to represent 17 workers at six Apple Studio LLC shows including Bubbi, Jiminy, Foxtrot, Government Cheese, Surface and Blackbird. The union is seeking to represent roles such as VFX production supervisor/manager, VFX coordinator, VFX production assistant, VFX witness camera operator and VFX on-set supervisor, among other classifications. According to IATSE, a “supermajority” of the proposed bargaining unit has signed union authorization cards.
In a statement, VFX lead data wrangler Liam Mazarra said he was “proud to stand with my colleagues at Apple Studios as we build a more just and promising future for the visual effects community.” Mazarra added, “As artists and workers helping to create stories of the twenty-first century, we deserve rights and representation equal to others in our industry.”
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Apple for comment.
IATSE’s organizing drive at Apple follows similar efforts at Marvel and Walt Disney Pictures and amongst workers who contribute to the Avatar franchise.
More to come.
