(NEW YORK CITY) - Visual Effects Workers employed at Saturday Night Live (SNL) have unanimously ratified their first contract with all 15 eligible voters voting yes, marking a significant milestone for VFX Artists and Leads at the legendary sketch comedy show, now celebrating its 50th season.

After successfully organizing with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) 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, the 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 in May, ahead of the season finale’s production.

The first-ever agreement brings significant improvements, including: Established minimum wage scales; Secured ongoing health care benefits; Annuity contributions; Kill fees for artists hired for projects canceled before completion; A robust grievance process; and Critical AI (Artificial Intelligence) and outsourcing protections.

“The VFX team is proud to be officially part of IATSE,” said Hannah 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.”

VFX Workers have made significant strides towards Unionization with IATSE in recent months, including successfully winning first contracts at Marvel, Disney and Avatar.

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