A New Era for London VFX?
Will London VFX workers be able to take their destiny into their own hands?Soon we will find out. Tonight is the deadline to sign up for vfxAssemble.comIf we succeed, you can rest assured that at least 50% of your colleagues at Industrial Light & Magic, Double Negative, Framestore and MPC will be fellow union members.This would mark the beginning of a new era for London VFX. Together, we would have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fix the many problems that afflict our industry. We would be able to look after each other and help out fellow colleagues who are less fortunate than us.If we fail, companies bosses across Soho will cheer, as they will be able to continue doing business without taking the wellbeing of their workforce into account.This will mean more one-week notice periods, more bare minimum redundancy pay, more juniors earning below the national minimum wage when you factor in overtime, more seven-figure earnings for managing directors and CEOs, more shutting down of departments in the pursuit of cheaper labour. More of the same.Most of us VFX workers are on short term contracts. We all have rent or mortgages to pay. Some of us have families to support. Our fears of being exposed as union members and singled out are legitimate and real. Our fears of being unable to find employment or watch helpless as all the work moves to cheaper labour markets are understandable. But it won't be by turning a blind eye to these problems, or keeping to oneselves, that we will have a chance to fix them.Today is the day. Sign up now.