Several members of the negotiating committee have expressed discontent on social media over the guild’s new AMPTP tentative agreement, citing a lack of protections for artists against generative AI and staffing minimums.
The Animation Guild (TAG) revealed the full negotiated terms on its new contract with major studios last week; after three months of bargaining, the guild (TAG 839) reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on November 23, with special considerations for fair wages, job security, and guardrails around generative AI use.
Notably, the contract does not allow animators to opt out of using GenAI, nor can they prevent their work from training AI models. The agreement also does not include minimum staffing levels for animators/craftspeople, although a minimum of three writers was established for animated TV shows. The minimum can be waived if a solo writer or a writing team are hired to write an entire show.
Three members of the negotiating committee, Mike Rianda, Joey Clift and Kelly Lynne D'Angelo, have taken to social media to voice their disappointment with the AI terms, indicating there are no actual protections for artists and they will against ratification, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Rianda took to Instagram, stating in his stories, “Studios can replace workers with AI. Studios can force you to use AI. Studios can give you AI work to finish on any timeline. We didn’t get staffing minimums to protect crew sizes from AI job losses… This was gutting.”
The ratification vote runs December 10-22. If the deal is rejected, negotiators will resume negotiations for a chance at better terms. The union may have to call a strike authorization vote or go on strike if talks reach a standstill.
TAG previously stated, “We could not propose that GenAI simply be banned from use in signatory studios not only because the Producers would never have agreed to that, but because it would also result in the work being sent to non-union workers, without the protection or benefits of a Collective Bargaining Agreement.”
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
