The SAG-AFTRA strike, combined with the long-running WGA strike, has almost shaken Hollywood studios like Disney to the core. After months of not being able to resolve the two strikes, it seems that Walt Disney, which is at the center of this struggle, is set to be hit with another big development. According to recent reports, the VFX crews at the company are going forward with unionizing, already having filed for the same with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Thus, there might be an election to unionize soon, which means that even VFX artists, should they feel they are not fairly compensated, would be able to go on strikes against unfair pay and the use of AI. International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) VFX organizer Mark Patch said in a statement:
"Today, courageous Visual Effects workers at Walt Disney Pictures overcame the fear and silence that have kept our community from having a voice on the job for decades. With an overwhelming supermajority of these crews demanding an end to ‘the way VFX has always been,’ this is a clear sign that our campaign is not about one studio or corporation. It’s about VFX workers across the industry using the tools at our disposal to uplift ourselves and forge a better path forward"
This has led to a widespread celebration among fans, who, understanding that Disney will be helpless without the VFX workers, have resorted to memes and celebrations on social media platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter).
Fans sense trouble for Walt Disney as VFX workers plan to unionize
After months of several developments in the strikes, with Disney CEO Bob Iger as one of the primary "villains" in the entire ordeal, fans have come out to support artists involved in the studio's money-cutting mechanisms.
They responded with multiple memes about the situation and expressed how necessary this was.
The SAG-AFTRA strike, meanwhile, rages on with no solution in sight. The WGA strike is also heading in the same direction.