SAG Board Approves AMPTP Deal

LOS ANGELES: The national board of directors of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has voted to approve a tentative two-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and has recommended its ratification to members, after a year of in-fighting and stalled negotiations.

The board approved the agreement in a 53.38 percent to 46.62-percent vote. The contract delivers 3.5-percent effective annual increases comprised of a 3-percent wage increase and a 0.5-percent pension and health contribution increase upon ratification, and a 3.5-percent wage increase in year two. The contract would run to June 30, 2011, ending at about the same time as the writers’ and directors’ contracts. SAG also gets jurisdiction on all derivative, made-for new media productions; automatic jurisdiction on all high-budget, original, made-for new media productions; plus jurisdiction on low-budget original, new-media productions that employ at least one covered performer. The union’s members will also secure residuals for exhibition of TV and theatrical motion pictures on consumer pay platforms at a greater percentage than those paid for DVD distribution, residuals for ad-supported streaming of feature films and television programs and residuals for derivative new-media programs. 

"I urge members to carefully review both the pros and cons in the referendum materials, and exercise their right to vote," said Alan Rosenberg, the national president of SAG.

"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," added chief negotiator John McGuire. "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.