SAG-AFTRA members earned more than $200 million in wage increases for all categories of performers in the new three-year broadcast contract agreement reached with the ANA-4A’s Joint Policy Committee (JPC).
SAG-AFTRA’s National Board, meeting April 9-10 in New York with JPC, unanimously approved the new three-year agreement on TV, audio and digital contracts after seven weeks of negotiation. “This contract speaks to the livelihood of members today — and in the future,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris, co-chair of the Negotiating Committee, who was recently elected to fill the term of late SAG-AFTRA president Ken Howard.
Highlights of the deal include:
• Strategic expansion to the definition of a commercial that will help protect the contract’s coverage in the area of digital.
• 7% upfront increase in wages.
• 1.2% increase in the P&H/H&R contribution rates.
• 6% increase in national cable use fees in addition to the general increase.
• 2% increase in class A use fees in addition to the general increase.
• Increases to Internet and New Media use fees ranging from 6.25% to 16.7% in addition to the general increase.
• New protections for minors to ensure qualified set teachers.
• New rate for stand-ins at 110% of the general extra rate.
• Recognition of Veteran’s Day as a contractual holiday.
Summaries of the 2016 agreement provisions for the commercials contracts may be viewed by clicking these links:
Summary of New Provisions 2016 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract
Summary of New Provisions 2016 SAG-AFTRA Audio Recorded Commercials Contracts
Eligible voters among the union’s 160,000 members, 5,000 in Chicago, will be asked to ratify the agreement that runs through 2019.
Formal negotiations between the 33-member (17 seated members and 16 alternates) SAG-AFTRA Negotiating Committee and the advertising industry began Feb. 17 and concluded April 3 in New York.
SAG-AFTRA was represented by SAG-AFTRA President and Negotiating Committee Co-Chair Gabrielle Carteris; Co-Chair Sue-Anne Morrow; Chief Negotiator David White, Co-Lead Negotiators Ray Rodriguez and Mathis Dunn and Senior Advisor John McGuire.
The JPC was represented by Joint Policy Committee Lead Negotiator Douglas J. Wood, Stacy Marcus, David Weissman, and Mike Strauss with Reed Smith LLP; Kim Stevens with the Joint Policy Committee[ Linda Bennett with Grey Advertising, and Kurt C. Wulfekuhler of Economics Partners, LLC.
