Business & Finance

DreamWorks remote staff ratify first union contract with the Animation Guild

The agreement establishes wage, health, and pension parity with Los Angeles-based animation workers.

Updated Sep 2, 2026 · 00:18 UTC2 reports

The short version

Remote employees at DreamWorks Animation voted 97% in favor of ratifying their first collective bargaining agreement with The Animation Guild.
The contract grants off-site staff the same minimum wage scales, health benefits, pension coverage, and workplace protections provided to in-person Los Angeles workers.
Future revisions to the union's Master Agreement will automatically extend to the covered remote bargaining unit.

The ratification vote concluded on August 21, 2026, with 97 percent of participating members voting in favor on an 83.3 percent turnout among 108 eligible voters.[Variety · The Hollywood Reporter]
The contract provides parity for remote workers outside Southern California, matching the minimum pay rates, health plans with $0 individual premiums, and pension plans of on-campus Los Angeles employees.[Variety · The Hollywood Reporter]
Under the new pay scales, the lowest-paid remote artist will see hourly compensation rise 52.4 percent, from $40.82 to $62.22.[Variety]
The bargaining unit covers remote roles including story artists, animators, technical directors, visual development artists, modelers, and production coordinators across the United States.[Variety · The Hollywood Reporter]
DreamWorks remote workers initially organized in fall 2025 and won a National Labor Relations Board representation election 52-10 in December 2025.[The Hollywood Reporter]