Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1280987
sagaftra.org | Summer 2020 | SAG-AFTRA 31 On June 29, the SAG-AFTRA National Board approved the contracts by a supermajority of 67.61% to 32.39%. From there, it was submitted to members for review and ratification. "Essentially, we were negotiating for our future, and we did it," said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris, who also served as the national chair of the Television/Theatrical Negotiating Committee. "This contract was shaped by member feedback. We prioritized the issues you told us were most important, both in protecting existing provisions and in seeking new gains. These agreements include transformative gains for a new era and have resulted in the most lucrative motion picture, television and new media deal that we have ever achieved," she added. "At a total value of $318 million, this is about $50 million more than the next-highest agreement." Negotiating Committee member Mike Pniewski applauded the hard work of negotiators and staff, who had to do business in unusual circumstances. "It was an extraordinary process of negotiating during a pandemic by Zoom calls, but because of the great commitment of our committee and staff, it worked pretty well. And the contract we got includes important gains in high-budget SVOD and P&H, plus codified protections regarding nudity and sexual harassment. It's a big win for all members across the country," he said. After the National Board reviewed and approved the agreement, the union reached out to members with a series of virtual meetings to answer questions, informational videos, a podcast and an online hub that provided details of the contract as well as voting instructions. In late July, members voted 74.22% to 25.78% to ratify the new contract. Twenty-seven percent of voting members returned a ballot, representing the highest return for a union contract referenda in a decade.