Joint SAG-AFTRA National Board approves radio and television commercials contract.
Following nine months of stalled talks and the firing of its executive director, the Screen Actors Guild Executive director National Board of Directors voted Sunday to approve and recommend to members new, two-year successor agreements to the 2005 Producer-Screen Actors Guild Codified Basic Agreement and 2005 Screen Actors Guild Television Agreement.
The vote was 53.38 percent to 46.62 percent.
The proposed agreement, covering actors in motion pictures and television, delivers 3.5 percent effective annual increases comprised of a 3 percent wage increase and a .5 percent pension and health contribution increase upon ratification, and a 3.5 percent wage increase in year two. While the agreement allows for payments for shows made for the Internet, it does not include residuals payments for such shows.
The approved contract will go to SAG members for vote.
“I urge members to carefully review both the pros and cons in the referendum materials, and exercise their right to vote,” said Screen Actors Guild National President Alan Rosenberg, who voted against the agreement.
Interim National Executive Director David White, who replaced Doug Allen who was fired by the SAG board in January, said: “We are pleased that Screen Actors Guild members will soon be voting on a deal for television and motion pictures. We’re eager to get our members back to work and to focus now on the challenges ahead, particularly on initiating a comprehensive effort to thoughtfully plan for the future.”
Chief Negotiator John McGuire stated: “This tentative agreement delivers increased contributions to the SAG pension plan, increased minimums, a significant gain in background actor numbers from 50 to 55 over the term of the contract, and it tracks the new media provisions achieved by other entertainment industry unions. The term of the agreement puts SAG in sync with the other unions, and does not include the extended term recently proposed by the AMPTP.”
Ratification ballots will be mailed to eligible SAG members in early May, with an expected return date at the end of the month.
The day prior to the board approving the film and television contract, the Joint SAG-AFTRA National Board voted unanimously to approve and recommend to members, new three-year successor agreements to the 2006 AFTRA Television and Radio Commercials Contracts and the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Television Commercials Contract.
The proposed agreements, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and new media, will net a three-year increase in payments to performers totaling an estimated $36 million, including approximately $21 million in increased contributions to the SAG Pension and Health and AFTRA Health & Retirement plans. The total combined value of the AFTRA and SAG contracts is projected at more than $2.9 billion for working performers, including actors, singers, dancers, choreographers, stunt persons, and extras.
Rosenberg was happier with this agreement, saying: “I am pleased and gratified to have achieved these gains and to recommend this agreement for ratification. I congratulate all of the parties, and particularly the co-chairs, committee members and staff on the remarkable gains they achieved for actors across the country.”
—Laura Tate