A group of American visual effects workers hired directly by “Star Wars” franchise productions have joined the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees for collective bargaining purposes.

The new bargaining unit includes American workers who contribute to titles including, but not limited to, “The
Mandalorian and Grogu,” “Ahsoka” and “Starfighter.” The unit, which overwhelmingly supported joining the union, will now begin good faith negotiations with the employer for its first contract.

IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb said: “These workers help bring some of the most ambitious stories to life in entertainment and deserve a meaningful voice in shaping their working conditions.” Loeb added: “We are proud to welcome these visual effects professionals to our proud union.”

Visual effects workers have long been essential to modern film and television production, helping to create the worlds, characters and experiences that audiences see on screen. As the industry continues to evolve, visual effects workers increasingly seek the protections, benefits, and collective bargaining rights that come with union representation.

Last year, “Avatar” visual effects workers, as well as those at Marvel and Disney, ratified their first employment contract, in a significant step for the VFX industry. The contracts included standard union protections such as overtime pay, eligibility for the Motion Picture Industry Health and Pension Plan, meal penalties, rest periods, and response times. The Disney/Marvel contract also included raises of 4% in the first year and 3.5% in the second year, matching the raises negotiated by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

VFX workers at Apple Studios also voted 12-0 to unionize at IATSE, and workers at DNEG, a major Canadian VFX company, also unionized in 2023 and 2024.