Apple Studios VFX Workers Ratify First IATSE Contract

Visual effects workers at Apple Studios have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the union announced. The contract sets minimum rates for every covered title, with annual increases matching those in the IATSE-AMPTP Basic Agreement.

The agreement includes minimum-hour guarantees, pay for all hours worked, and overtime protections for holidays and sixth and seventh workdays. It also provides employer-paid Motion Picture Industry health care, pension benefits, and a defined contribution retirement savings plan, effective for all hours worked since Jan. 1.

Additionally, the contract incorporates artificial intelligence protections from the IATSE-AMPTP Basic Agreement. It establishes daily and weekly turnaround and rest protections matching editorial crews, meal penalties, and additional pay for hazardous conditions on set.

This deal follows a wave of organizing among visual effects workers. In October 2025, VFX workers on 'Avatar' and those at Marvel and Disney ratified their first labor contracts, which included overtime pay, pension and health plan eligibility, meal penalties, rest periods, and turnaround times. The Disney/Marvel contract included raises of 4% in the first year and 3.5% in the second year.

The Apple Studios agreement extends these gains to another major studio's VFX workforce, marking a significant step in the ongoing unionization of visual effects professionals in the entertainment industry.