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This settlement is closed!
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Settlements have been reached in a class action lawsuit alleging certain animation studios violated federal and state antitrust laws by agreeing not to poach each other’s employees and suppressing their wages.
If you held an animation or visual effects job title at one of the following studios between 2001 and 2010, you may be entitled to compensation from a wage and hour class action settlement: Blue Sky Studios Inc., DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., Two Pic MC LLC f/k/a Image Movers Digital LLC, Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC, Sony Pictures Animation Inc., Sony Pictures Imageworks Inc. or The Walt Disney Company.
The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of conspiring to suppress the compensation for animation and visual effects workers.
According to the animation workers class action lawsuit, the defendants colluded with each other and used the information they gathered to negotiate lower salaries.
The plaintiffs argue that this collusion went on for years and resulted in a suppression of pay by up to 30 percent in some cases.
In February, the plaintiffs filed a motion seeking certification of a Class of animation and visual effects workers employed by Pixar between 2001 and 2010; Lucasfilm between 2001 and 2010; Dreamworks between 2003 and 2010; Disney between 2004 and 2010; Sony Pictures between 2004 and 2010; Blue Sky between 2005 and 2010; and Two Pic between 2007 and 2010.
A California federal judge ordered Pixar to release certain internal documents related to the settlement in March.
The defendants deny any wrongdoing. However, Blue Sky has agreed to pay nearly $6 million and the Sony Pictures defendants have agreed to pay $13 million to settle the antitrust class action lawsuit in order to avoid the expense and uncertainty associated with ongoing litigation.
The Blue Sky and Sony Pictures class action settlements received preliminary approval on July 6, 2016. Class Members who want to opt out of the animation workers antitrust settlement must do so no later than Sept. 30, 2016.
UPDATE: On Oct. 17, 2016, DreamWorks Animation has reached a $50 million settlement with a Class of former animation and visual effects employees who accuse the company and others of violating antitrust laws by engaging in an illegal “no poaching” agreement.
UPDATE 2: On Jan. 31, 2017, The Walt Disney Company, Pixar, and Lucasfilm have reached a $100 million settlement in a class action lawsuit filed by animation and visual effects workers claiming the companies violated antitrust laws by conspiring to suppress wages via non-poaching agreements.
UPDATE 3: On May 18, 2017, a California federal judge said she may sanction two Disney producers who objected to a $170 million settlement that would resolve an antitrust class action lawsuit alleging Disney, DreamWorks, Pixar and other studios agreed not to poach the other companies’ animation workers.
Who’s Eligible
Class Members include the following: “All animation and visual effects employees employed by one or more of the Defendants in the United States who held any of the job titles listed in the attached List of Job Titles by Defendant during the following time periods: Pixar (2001-2010), Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC (2001-2010), DreamWorks Animation (2003-2010), The Walt Disney Company (2004-2010), Sony Pictures Animation or Sony Pictures Imageworks (2004-2010), Blue Sky (2005-2010) and Two Pic MC LLC f/k/a ImageMovers Digital LLC (2007-2010).”
A list of the applicable job titles is available here.
Potential Award
Varies.
The plan of allocation has not yet been approved, but the proposed compensation formula would be calculated based on each Class Member’s total compensation during the Class Period and the total amount of compensation paid to all Class Members during the Class Period.
Proof of Purchase
N/A.
Class Members who do not opt out of the animation workers settlement by Sept. 30, 2016 will automatically receive a payment. There is no Claim Form for this class action settlement.
Claim Form Deadline
N/A.
There is no Claim Form for this class action settlement. Eligible Class Members who do not opt out by Sept. 30, 2016 will automatically receive compensation.
Case Name
In re: Animation Workers Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 5:14-cv-04062-LHK, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Final Hearing
11/10/2016
Settlement Website
Claims Administrator
Animation Workers Antitrust Litigation
c/o Kurtzman Carson Consultants (KCC)
P.O. Box 40007
College Station, TX 77842-4007
Phone: 855-730-8617
Fax: 415-256-9756
info@AnimationLawsuit.com
Class Counsel
COHEN MILSTEIN SELLERS & TOLL PLLC
HAGENS BERMAN SOBOL SHAPIRO LLP
SUSMAN GODFREY LLP
Defense Counsel
Counsel for Blue Sky:
John E. Schmidtlein
Jonathan B. Pitt
WILLIAMS & CONNOLLY LLP
Counsel for Sony Pictures:
David C. Kiernan
JONES DAY
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3 thoughts onAnimation Workers Antitrust Class Action Settlement
UPDATE 3: On May 18, 2017, a California federal judge said she may sanction two Disney producers who objected to a $170 million settlement that would resolve an antitrust class action lawsuit alleging Disney, DreamWorks, Pixar and other studios agreed not to poach the other companies’ animation workers.
UPDATE 2: On Jan. 31, 2017, The Walt Disney Company, Pixar, and Lucasfilm have reached a $100 million settlement in a class action lawsuit filed by animation and visual effects workers claiming the companies violated antitrust laws by conspiring to suppress wages via non-poaching agreements.
UPDATE: On Oct. 17, 2016, DreamWorks Animation has reached a $50 million settlement with a Class of former animation and visual effects employees who accuse the company and others of violating antitrust laws by engaging in an illegal “no poaching” agreement.