NEW YORK, (APRIL 3, 2016) — Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the ANA-4A’s Joint Policy Committee on Broadcast Talent Union Relations (JPC) have reached a tentative agreement on terms for successor television and radio commercials contracts, subject to approval by the SAG-AFTRA National Board of Directors later this month.
SAG-AFTRA Acting President and Negotiating Committee Co-chair Gabrielle Carteris said, “I want to thank the members of the negotiating committee, co-chair Sue-Anne Morrow, Chief Negotiator David White and our staff for their diligent work. This negotiation dealt with where we are now and where we will be in the future. The tentative agreement delivers essential gains while properly positioning us for future growth in digital and social media. As content evolves, we are poised to grow work opportunities that support members and their families.”
SAG-AFTRA Negotiating Committee Co-chair Sue-Anne Morrow said the agreement achieved the best possible result for members. ““Our negotiating committee was made up of working commercial performers from all over the country and we secured significant financial gains that will benefit our members right now. Equally important, we achieved creative new elements that make our contract more relevant in a rapidly changing industry and guarantee the expansion of work opportunities for our members. I make the majority of my living as a commercial performer and I am pleased to present this contract to our board for approval.”
Joint Policy Committee Lead Negotiator Douglas J. Wood said, “I also want to thank the members of my team who worked tirelessly over the past six weeks. I’d also like to acknowledge the memory of Kathleen Quinn of the 4A’s. Kathleen tragically passed away during the negotiations. Kathleen was a pillar on our team for more than 20 years. She will be missed by everyone. The success of this negotiation reflects the sense of partnership the JPC and SAG-AFTRA have built over the past fifteen years. Despite very complex issues that initially had significant differences for both sides of the table, through open and honest collaboration we reached a balanced and fair agreement for all parties.”
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator David White said, “I want to thank the member-led negotiating committee and its co-chairs Gabrielle Carteris and Sue-Anne Morrow as well as our negotiating team and staff. We worked together with the JPC to come to an agreement on some very thorny issues throughout these negotiations. That work paid off in meaningful gains for members.”
Both parties recognized the positive and productive results of this negotiation and highlighted their joint commitment to grow the work for performers under these contracts while enhancing wages, creating new opportunities for advertisers and further strengthening the industry.
Formal negotiations between the 33-member (17 seated members and 16 alternates) SAG-AFTRA Negotiating Committee and the industry began February 17 and concluded April 3, at 3:05 a.m. EDT, in New York. The JPC was represented by 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.
SAG-AFTRA was represented by Carteris, Morrow, White, Co-Lead Negotiators Ray Rodriguez and Mathis Dunn, and Senior Advisor John McGuire. The tentative agreements will be submitted to the SAG-AFTRA National Board of Directors for approval at its April 9-10 meeting. No details of the package will be released in advance of the board’s review. Upon approval by the board, the package will be sent to the membership for ratification.
About JPC
The ANA-4A’s Joint Policy Committee on Broadcast Talent Union Relations is the multi-employer bargaining unit that represents advertisers and advertising agencies who have authorized the JPC to collectively bargain on their behalf with SAG-AFTRA and the American Federation of Musicians on the collective bargaining agreements that govern the use of performers and musicians in commercials.
About SAG-AFTRA
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at SAGAFTRA.org.