Dear Member,
We
are thrilled to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement
with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on
successor agreements covering motion pictures, scripted primetime
dramatic television and new media production.
Significant
improvements were secured in the residuals rate paid to performers for
exhibition of their performances on streaming platforms like Netflix and
Amazon. Under the new terms, actors will receive residuals for
exhibition on subscription video on-demand platforms earlier, now after
90 days instead of after one year. The new formula delivers a 300%
increase in residuals to performers within their first two years when
their work is exhibited worldwide on Netflix.
SAG-AFTRA
achieved a historic breakthrough in the rules governing travel for
television performers, including an up to five-fold increase in the fees
due to series performers who work at locations away from home. The
travel rules for television have been rationalized and clarified,
closing many loopholes and ambiguities that have allowed for abuse.
Series
performer option rules were greatly improved, with the effect of
reducing exclusivity periods for many series performers during which
they can be held off the market.
In
an unprecedented breakthrough, the new deal improves the overtime
provisions for background actors working in the West Coast Zones so that
they match New York standards while protecting against the attempted
removal of night premiums in the New York Zone. Additionally, the
committee improved the pay rate for photo doubles and achieved superior
terms for background actors employed under the CW Supplement.
The
committee also secured an additional 5 percent increase in the first
year of the contract for stunt coordinators working under flat deal
contracts in television.
Additionally,
there is a first-year increase of .5 percent in the contribution rate
applicable to the SAG Pension Plan and the AFTRA Retirement Fund,
bringing the total benefits contribution rate to 17.5 percent. The union
may also elect to convert an additional one half of one percent from
the wage package in each of the second and third year.
Highlights of the tentative agreement include:
-
Total package valued at $256 million over three years
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3-year agreement commencing July 1, 2017 and expiring June 30, 2020
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Wage increases of 2.5 percent in the first year, 3 percent in the second year and 3 percent in the third year
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Half percent increase in the current rate of employer contributions paid to the SAG Pension Plan and AFTRA Retirement Fund in the first year of the agreement, raising the total contribution rate to 17.5 percent effective July 1, 2017
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Secured an additional .2 percent increase in funding to the SAG-AFTRA industry cooperative funds, which will support monitoring animal safety on sets, safety training and sexual harassment prevention training
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Achieved recognition of Middle Eastern North African as a diverse category in the casting data report
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Agreement to study the design and implementation of an electronic reporting system for performer work times
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Improved residuals for programming made for SVOD (subscription video-on-demand)
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First residual is now due in 90 days rather than one year
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Increase in the residual rate
-
First ever residuals compensation for foreign use
-
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Improvements to money and schedule breaks
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Improvements to the advertiser-supported streaming residuals
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Outsized increase of 18 percent for background actors working under the CW supplement
-
Terms requiring that all background actors be paid double-time starting after 10 hours of work
The
new three-year agreement will be presented to the SAG-AFTRA National
Board of Directors for their approval on July 15 to be followed by a
member ratification vote. Watch your email for further updates.
Thank
you for your participation and involvement. Your steadfast support of
SAG-AFTRA on social media vividly clarified to management that our
negotiators had the strong backing of the board and our membership. This
unity granted us the strength and leverage to achieve real gains on
some of our membership’s most pressing items.
In unity,
Gabrielle Carteris
President and Chair of the TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee
President and Chair of the TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee
David White
National Executive Director
and Chief Negotiator
National Executive Director
and Chief Negotiator
