Editors Guild Unanimously Ratifies New Nickelodeon Contract

Dominic Patten
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: The Motion Picture Editors Guild has ratified a new animation deal with Nickelodeon, a bit of good labor good news Monday as the Writers Guild strike hits 140 days, the SAG-AFRTA strike hits 67 days and almost all production is shut down.

The Editors Guild agreement was approved unanimously September 14 over Zoom, I’m told. About 70 post-production members of the Cathy Repola-led guild are affected by the new four-year contract.

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“Witnessing this kind of solidarity throughout this challenging process was awe-inspiring,” Repola told Deadline today about the conclusion of a six-month effort to make a deal with the Paramount Global-owned outlet. “It was such an honor for our team to represent them and to help them achieve a contract they are proud of. The negotiating committee needs to be commended; they spoke with a single voice and a single vision and vowed that no one would be left behind. In the end, nobody was.”

With wage increases from 9% to nearly 70% over the next year, last week’s ratification vote came after the Editors Guild had to twice make it known to the other side that it was willing to take their fight to the picket lines. The most recent missive from the Animation Guild and the 9,000-strong IATSE Local 700 in late August seems to be the tipping point that led to a deal just days later.

In a Hollywood that has been deeply hit the past four months over the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the Editors Guild deal offers at least a glimmer of optimism in what could be a pivotal week.

It also offers some cold hard cash.

The last contract with Nickelodeon expired February 28, which means this new agreement’s wage bumps are retroactive to March and could see more increases out of the next Basic Agreement negotiations.

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