Toronto – The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) announced today that it will be providing free legal support to workers from Tangent Animation Studios. On August 3, 2021, Tangent announced they were shutting down, laying off an estimated 400 employees. The IATSE represents animation workers through The Canadian Animation Guild, IATSE Local 938.
“Our primary goal is to ensure that laid off workers at Tangent are receiving their legally required severance payments,” said John Lewis, IATSE International Vice President and Director of Canadian Affairs. “Animation workers are often required to negotiate on their own and often don’t have access to legal counsel. Our legal team will assist workers to ensure they are treated fairly.”
This is not the first time the IATSE has provided free legal support to workers. When MPC Vancouver announced it was closing in December 2019, just weeks before the holidays, IATSE provided free legal support to those workers as well. Providing this support is part on IATSE’s ongoing campaign to provide union representation to animation workers in Canada.
“Animation workers in Canada need union representation,” continued Lewis. “Strong collective agreements mean that animation workers don’t need to negotiation on their own and can gain significant improvements to their working conditions in areas such as, over-time pay, sick and personal days, wages and worker focused anti-harassment policies.”
Animation workers from Tangent Animation Studios who wish to access this free legal support are encouraged to reach out to IATSE International Representative Jeremy Salter at jsalter@iatse.net.
Animation workers in Canada who are interested in improving their working conditions should also contact IATSE International Representative Jeremy Salter jsalter@iatse.net. All communications are strictly confidential.