Production Staff – 66 Warner Bros. employees Animation and Cartoon Network’s 22 – filed a union election petition with the National Labor Relations Board yesterday. The group is looking for Warner Bros.’ voluntary recognition of the union as part of the Animation Guild.
The effort follows a year of turmoil at Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network, in which both teams saw a major round of layoffs before being brought under the same division. At the same time, Warner Bros. Discovery much of its streaming animation from HBO Max, often without notice to the creators.
If Warner Bros. Discovery recognizes the union, either voluntarily or by forcing the National Labor Relations Board to intervene, the WBA/Cartoon Network group would become one of many animation outlets – including Rick and Morty, The SimpsonsAnd Family man – currently negotiating their first union contract with the Animation Guild.
“While many may not think so, manufacturing is a specialized skill; we may not be artists or writers, but what we bring to the table goes beyond traditional creativity and gets content on the air,” Hannah Ferenc, a production manager at WBA, said in the organization’s press release. “Having experienced the current state of the animation industry for the past seven years, I want to ensure that not only our current employees, but all those who choose to join us in the future, can feel safe in following their passion by earning a living wage and being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
The 88 employees in the group have production manager, IT technician and design production coordinator roles, and together they have worked on shows such as Harley Quinn, Teen Titans Go!, Craig from the Creekand the coming Batman: The Caped Crusader And Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.