NEW YORK, NY — Visual Effects workers at Saturday Night Live (SNL) unanimously ratified their first union contract in July 2025. All fifteen eligible voters voted YES, marking a significant milestone for VFX artists and leads at the legendary sketch comedy show, now celebrating its 50th season.
After successfully organizing in October 2024, contract negotiations began in April 2025. Initially, management did not provide sufficient dates to conclude negotiations before the season ended. Demonstrating strong solidarity, workers signed a petition and wore union shirts on set to underscore the urgency of reaching a fair agreement. As a result, management responded swiftly, and negotiations concluded efficiently in May, ahead of the season finale’s production.
The first-ever agreement brings significant improvements, including:
- Established minimum wage scales
- Secured ongoing healthcare benefits
- Annuity contributions
- “Kill fees” for artists hired for projects canceled before completion
- A robust grievance process
- Critical AI and outsourcing protections
“The VFX team is proud to be officially part of IATSE,” said Hannah S. Kim, one of the lead organizers. ” We are excited to join the large union presence at SNL and hope this inspires the rest of the VFX and animation industries across the country to follow suit. I personally am so happy to see my fellow artists be protected under a union, and look forward to the future of this team under a bargaining unit.”
David Torres Eber added, “Thanks to the hard work of all the members of the SNL VFX team and our new friends with IATSE, we have accomplished something pretty incredible. At a breakneck speed we have ratified our first union contract for a VFX team in New York City. Hopefully just the first of many!”
Danny Behar highlighted the importance of the contract in the broader context of the industry. “Having a contract is a huge feat, especially during these unsteady times in the television industry. We’re excited to continue our work and inspire other VFX teams to organize.”
Richard Lampasone emphasized the forward-thinking aspects of the agreement, particularly around technology: “This is a groundbreaking contract for us and our industry. We’ve reached a consensus on a worker-centric AI policy that will help us keep doing our best work as our craft evolves.”
Chaim Kantor, Assistant Department Director for Motion Picture and Television (MPTV), led the negotiations and was instrumental in securing this historic agreement swiftly. This victory sets a precedent for visual effects professionals across the entertainment industry, reinforcing the power of union solidarity and collective action.
VFX workers have made significant strides towards unionization with IATSE in recent months, including successfully winning first contracts at Marvel, Disney and Avatar. As the campaign to ensure VFX workers have access to the same rights and protections as other workers in the film and television industry, those interested in joining the movement should visit vfxunion.org for more information and to get in touch with IATSE organizers.
