Feb 27, 2024

DNEG Montreal will be the 2nd Unionize for the company's Canadian VFX outfit.

The workers of DNEG Montreal have officially received recognition from the Court Administratif du Travail du Quebec, the Regional Labor Law Court, and the International Alliance and Union of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

DNEG Montreal is the 11th place in Canada where workers formed a union after DNEG Vancouver employees received a Labor Commission confirmation on May 2 last year.

Vancouver Costume was Canada's first vendor-side vfx shop and formed a union. According to the IATSE, it is a watershed moment for the Canadian vfx industry, and workers across the country have a strong desire to comply with and improve their working conditions through unionization.

This includes DNEG's Toronto-based workers who have already applied for union certification and are waiting for the Ontario Industrial Relations Board to take control of the issue.

IATSE International representative Isabel Lecompte said in the release:

DNEG Montreal workers are excited that they have an expression that fought hard to win. As the largest of the 3 DNEG studios, this is an important step for workers across the company with union representatives.

John Lewis, vp of Iatse international and Director of Canadian Affairs, added: "We are pleased to announce that we are pleased to announce the launch of the Iatse International Partnership (Iatse).

We are currently seeing an unprecedented amount of worker engagement and empowerment in vfx. Not only here in Canada, but also in the United States. VFX workers are finding a home in IATSE.