Ratification Vote -- The Trades

The Hollywood Reporter tells us:

... Employees of Nickelodeon Animation Studios “strongly ratified” a new two-year contract between Nickelodeon and the Animation Guild, the guild announced Tuesday. The agreement was reached between representatives of the guild and the Viacom unit a week ago and was voted up at in-person meetings Monday.

The new collective bargaining agreement includes 10 sick days per year. It also contains the package reached in the 2015 AMPTP-Animation Guild negotiations: 3 percent wage minimum increases and hikes in the Motion Picture Industry Pension Plan, in addition to larger pension and health plan contributions. The guild has had a contract with Nickelodeon since 2002.

“We want to congratulate Nickelodeon on the productive contract talks,” said Animation Guild business representative Steve Hulett. “The discussions would not have gone as well as they did without the input and assistance of IATSE vice president Mike Miller. There were issues to resolve and both sides, working together, resolved them. Nick[elodeon] employees recognized the value and improvements in the new deal and voted accordingly.” ...

The vote went smoothly and lots of employees showed up to vote. The was a wee bit of confusion at one building because TAG was in a different room than the one expected, but employees found the polling place and all was well.