Last October, animation workers at Titmouse Vancouver voted to unionize, voicing their preference to join The Canadian Animation Guild, IATSE Local 938. They have now broken ground again by ratifying their union’s first animation agreement in Canada.
The four-year agreement includes defined overtime procedures, increased wage minimums, improved annual wage increases, a 15% premium for employees taking on supervisory duties, increased sick/personal days (and the ability to take half-days), and enhanced RRSPs (retirement savings plan in Canada) with a lower fee structure. It covers around 200 workers.
In all, 96.9% of workers voted in support of the new agreement. Last year, 87% of workers took part in the vote about unionization, and more than 98% of those voted in favor.