Actors Unions, AMPTP in Tentative Agreement for New Contract

LOS ANGELES: After agreeing to joint bargaining earlier this year, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) have reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) for a new contract, well ahead of the June 2011 deadline.

The current contracts covering feature motion pictures, scripted network prime time television and pay television programs expires June 30, 2011. The new one, subject to approval by SAG’s and AFTRA’s boards, and ratification by members, runs from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2014. The tentative agreement includes a 6-percent wage increase over the term of the agreement with 2 percent in each of the three years; and a 10-percent increase in the current rate of employer contributions paid to the Screen Actors Guild Pension & Health Plans and AFTRA Health & Retirement Funds, bringing the total contribution rate to 16.5 percent effective July 1, 2011. 

“Strengthening the pension and health plans was our top priority in these negotiations—making such a significant gain in that area was a vital achievement. Increased wages across the contract and the expansion of the major role premium into pay television will not only put more money in performers’ pockets, but will provide yet another boost to our P&H funds," said Ken Howard, the president of SAG.
 
Roberta Reardon, national president at AFTRA, added, “I am extremely pleased we met our goal of increasing contributions to our retirement and pension plans, and that we successfully completed this negotiation now to protect the needs of performers early in the process."