'Saturday Night Live’ VFX Artists Ratify Historic First Union Contract
Chris Garlock | Published on 7/17/2025
Visual effects (VFX) workers at “Saturday Night Live” (“SNL”) unanimously ratified their first union contract.
After successfully organizing in October 2024, the “SNL” VFX workers began contract negotiations in April 2025. The contract brings significant improvements, including establishing a minimum wage scale, securing ongoing health care benefits, offering annuity contributions, providing “kill fees” for artists hired for projects canceled before completion, implementing a robust grievance process, and creating critical artificial intelligence and outsourcing protections.
“The VFX team is proud to be officially part of [Theatrical Stage Employees] IATSE,” said Hannah S. 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.”