SpindleHorse NLRB Labor Charge 2026, What Is Actually Happening With the Hazbin Hotel Studio

SpindleHorse is facing an open unfair labor practice charge filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on February 19, 2026, assigned to NLRB Region 31 in Los Angeles, California. This is not a civil lawsuit in court. It is an NLRB administrative charge — a formal complaint filed by workers or their union alleging a company violated federal labor law. No settlement exists. No money has been awarded. The charge is currently under investigation.

Quick Facts: SpindleHorse NLRB Charge

Field	Detail
Respondent	SpindleHorse (animation studio, Encino, California)
Case Number	31-CA-381625
Date Filed	February 19, 2026
Status	Open — under NLRB investigation
NLRB Region	Region 31, Los Angeles, California
Alleged Violations	Section 8(a)(5): Repudiation/modification of contract; Section 8(a)(5): Refusal to furnish information; Section 8(a)(3): Changes in terms and conditions of employment
Union Involved	The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839 (TAG) — recognized September 2025
Bargaining Unit	106 animation artists across multiple crafts
Next Steps	TBD — NLRB investigating; no complaint issued or hearing scheduled as of May 8, 2026
Official Source	nlrb.gov/case/31-CA-381625
Last Updated	May 8, 2026

What Is the SpindleHorse Labor Charge About? NLRB Case No. 31-CA-381625

SpindleHorse is the Encino-based indie animation studio founded by Vivienne “VivziePop” Medrano, known for producing Hazbin Hotel on Amazon Prime and the independent series Helluva Boss. In September 2025, animation artists at SpindleHorse requested and received voluntary recognition from the studio to be represented by The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839. The bargaining unit covers 106 artists across multiple crafts — storyboard artists, background designers, illustrators, 2D FX artists, and more — who were looking forward to negotiating a first contract.

Five months after that union recognition, a formal charge landed at the NLRB. The charge, filed February 19, 2026, alleges three categories of violations under federal labor law: repudiation or unilateral modification of contract terms, refusal to furnish information to the union, and changes in terms and conditions of employment.

In plain English, those allegations mean:

• Repudiation/Modification of Contract (Section 8(a)(5)): SpindleHorse allegedly changed or walked back agreed-upon terms — such as pay rates, benefits, or working conditions — without union agreement, which federal law prohibits once a union is recognized.
• Refusal to Furnish Information (Section 8(a)(5)): The union is legally entitled to certain information — wages, hours, disciplinary records, and other data it needs to represent workers effectively. The charge alleges SpindleHorse refused to provide that information.
• Changes in Terms and Conditions of Employment (Section 8(a)(3)): This section covers employer actions that discourage union membership or penalize workers for union activity, such as reducing hours, changing job duties, or making other adverse changes.

SpindleHorse’s union is particularly notable for having a majority of employees working remotely outside of the Los Angeles County area, a factor that may complicate bargaining over wages and working conditions typically benchmarked to LA County standards. Workers at comparable studios like Disney, DreamWorks, and Nickelodeon negotiate under established agreements that provide clear precedents. SpindleHorse, as an indie studio negotiating a first contract, has no such existing baseline.

Related article: Nvidia NeMo Copyright Class Action Lawsuit, Judge Refuses to Dismiss Authors’ Claims Over 197,000 Pirated Books

Who Is Affected by This NLRB Charge?

This charge directly affects the 106-member Animation Guild bargaining unit at SpindleHorse. These are animators, storyboard artists, background designers, illustrators, and 2D FX artists working on Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss, and other SpindleHorse productions. The majority work remotely from locations across the United States.

If you are or were a SpindleHorse employee covered by the bargaining unit and believe your employment terms were changed without bargaining, or that you were denied access to information you were legally entitled to, you have the right to contact your union representative at The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839.

If you experienced adverse employment changes — hours cut, pay modified, job duties changed — after the union was recognized in September 2025, that experience could be directly relevant to this NLRB investigation.

What Is an NLRB Unfair Labor Practice Charge — and What Happens Next?

An NLRB charge is not a lawsuit. It is an administrative complaint that triggers an investigation by the NLRB’s regional office. Here is how the process works:

The NLRB Region 31 office investigates the allegations. The investigation involves gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and reviewing documents. If the Regional Director concludes there is merit to the charge, the NLRB issues a formal complaint against SpindleHorse — which is separate from and comes after the initial charge. If no merit is found, the charge is dismissed (though that ruling can be appealed).

If a formal complaint is issued, the matter proceeds to a hearing before an NLRB Administrative Law Judge. Remedies in unfair labor practice cases typically include orders requiring the employer to bargain in good faith, provide the requested information, reinstate any wrongfully changed terms, and in some cases pay back wages to affected workers. Monetary fines against the company itself are not the primary tool in NLRB proceedings — the focus is on restoring workers to where they would have been absent the violation and compelling good-faith bargaining going forward.

As of May 8, 2026, the charge is open and under investigation. No formal complaint has been issued by the NLRB. No hearing has been scheduled.

SpindleHorse and the Animation Guild: Timeline

Milestone	Date
SpindleHorse animators vote to unionize with TAG	September 16, 2025
106-member bargaining unit formally recognized	September 2025
NLRB unfair labor practice charge filed against SpindleHorse	February 19, 2026
Charge reported publicly, sparks fan community discussion	March 2026
NLRB investigation ongoing	As of May 8, 2026
Formal NLRB complaint (if any issued)	TBD
First contract between SpindleHorse and TAG	TBD — not yet ratified

Frequently Asked Questions

Is SpindleHorse being sued? 

SpindleHorse faces an open National Labor Relations Board charge for alleged unfair labor practices. This is an administrative investigation, not a court lawsuit. The distinction matters. A civil lawsuit goes to federal or state court and can result in monetary judgments. An NLRB charge is investigated by a federal labor agency and typically results in orders to bargain, provide information, or restore employment conditions — not large damages awards.

Is Vivienne Medrano personally being sued?

 Vivziepop is not personally being sued. Her studio SpindleHorse faces the NLRB charge. The charge names the studio as the respondent, not Medrano individually.

What does Section 8(a)(5) mean in plain English?

 Section 8(a)(5) of the National Labor Relations Act requires employers to bargain in good faith with a recognized union. It also prohibits employers from making unilateral changes to wages, hours, or working conditions without first negotiating with the union, and requires them to provide information the union needs to represent workers. Refusing to do either is an unfair labor practice.

What does Section 8(a)(3) mean?

 Section 8(a)(3) prohibits employers from discriminating against employees in their terms and conditions of employment because of union activity. That includes things like changing hours, cutting pay, altering job duties, or taking other adverse actions specifically targeting workers who are organizing or represented by a union.

Is there a settlement workers can claim money from?

 No. There is no settlement, no claim form, and no money available. This charge is at the investigation stage. If the NLRB issues a formal complaint and the case resolves in workers’ favor, any remedy would be ordered by the NLRB — not distributed through a class action settlement website.

When did SpindleHorse animators unionize? 

Animators at SpindleHorse requested and received voluntary recognition on September 16, 2025, establishing a bargaining unit of 106 SpindleHorse employees. Studio founder Vivienne Medrano is herself an Animation Guild member.

What happens if the NLRB finds merit in the charge?

 The NLRB would issue a formal complaint and schedule a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. If violations are found, typical remedies include requiring SpindleHorse to bargain in good faith, hand over requested information, restore any unilaterally changed terms, and potentially make affected workers whole for financial harm caused by those changes. The parties can also settle at any stage of the process.

Where can I track the case? 

The official NLRB docket is publicly available at nlrb.gov/case/31-CA-381625. Updates will appear there as the investigation progresses.

Sources & References

• NLRB Official Case Docket: SpindleHorse, Case No. 31-CA-381625, Region 31, Los Angeles, California — nlrb.gov/case/31-CA-381625
• The Wrap: “Hazbin Hotel Studio SpindleHorse Among Latest Additions to IATSE’s Animation Union Wave,” September 17, 2025
• Animation World Network: “3 Different Animation Worker Groups Submit for Union Recognition with TAG 839,” September 17, 2025

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the official NLRB case docket, The Wrap, and Animation World Network reporting on May 8, 2026. Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The NLRB charge described above represents allegations that remain under investigation; SpindleHorse has not been found to have committed any unfair labor practices. All parties are presumed to be acting lawfully unless and until the NLRB or a court determines otherwise. For advice regarding a particular employment situation, consult a qualified labor attorney.