Here is an article from the LA Times about Vis effects studios becoming sweatships with no benefits and long hours. Read this over. It is a bit chilling.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-visual-effects-workers-20120420,0,6115743,full.story
The general consensus has been that things have been in a downward spiral for a few years now. Short contracts, no overtime, long hours and few if any benefits are par for the course. Add to that outsourcing, tax incentive chasing and the lack of any long term stability and it’s a wonder there are still any survivors in vfx.