Disney animators' strike

Disney animators' strike
Striking Disney animators at Walt Disney Productions, Burbank, in May 1941
Date	May 29 – September 21, 1941 (3 months and 26 days)
Location	Burbank, California
Caused by	The unionization of animators by Herbert Sorrell and the firing of 17 unionized employees, including Art Babbitt.
Goals	Increase pay for the unionized writers and animators who worked on Disney animated films. Fair treatment of union members, primarily against the retaliatory firing of union members.
Methods	Striking, picketing
Resulted in	Walt Disney and WDP management concede and sign a contract with the Screen Cartoonist's Guild. Many cartoonists refuse to be rehired and decide to work for other animation studios, shrinking the Disney talent pool significantly. (see Aftermath and notable departures)
Parties
Screen Cartoonist's Guild Walt Disney Productions
Lead figures
Herbert Sorrell Walt Disney

The Disney animators' strike was a 1941 American film industry work stoppage where unionized employees of Walt Disney Productions picketed and disrupted film production for just under four months.

The strike reflected anger at inequities of pay and privileges at Disney, a non-unionized workplace. Walt Disney responded to the five-week strike by firing many of his animators, but was eventually pressured into recognizing the Screen Cartoonist's Guild (SCG) by signing a contract with them, which involved, amongst other concessions, rehiring those who wished to return.