Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1054784
For Members 18 SAG-AFTRA | Fall 2018 | sagaftra.org S AG-AFTRA members have voted to ratify the 2018 SAG-AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting (Network Television Code), with 93 percent in favor of the new contract. The ratification vote, tabulated Aug. 16, follows the SAG-AFTRA National Board's recommendation in July for members to vote yes on the new three-year contract with the four major television networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox). Negotiations with the signatory producers began on May 30 in Sherman Oaks, California, and concluded with a tentative agreement on June 9. Ballots were mailed to approximately 142,000 members. The contract term runs July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2021. "I am gratified by our members' vote of approval for this agreement. SAG-AFTRA members working in this area will benefit from stronger protections and meaningful increases in wages and residuals rates," said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris, who served as chair of the Network Television Code Negotiating Committee. "Moreover, the agreement now reflects important new language limiting auditions or meetings in private hotel rooms and residences, which helps us make tangible changes in the way our industry is addressing sexual harassment." Highlights of the agreement include increases in contract minimums over a three-year period, including an 8.7-percent overall wage increase to most program fees, implemented through increases of 2.5 percent the first year, 3 percent the second year and 3 percent the third year. The agreement also significantly improves funding of the AFTRA Retirement Fund. Automatic increases in other categories are as follows: • A 4.1 percent overall wage increase for daytime serial performers, implemented through increases of 1 percent the first year, 1.5 percent the second year and 1.5 percent the third year. • A 4.6 percent overall wage increase for background actors employed on variety programs, implemented through a 2 percent increase effective Dec. 31, 2018, and a 2.5 percent increase effective July 1, 2020. • First-year increase in contributions to the AFTRA Retirement Fund of 0.5 percent and the AFTRA Industry Cooperative Fund of 0.2 percent with the option to divert 0.5 percent of second and/or third year wage increases to the AFTRA Retirement Fund. • A reduction of three hours in the included rehearsal hours for dancers on all but five-minute-or-less and over- five-to-15-minute programs. • A reduction of one hour in the included rehearsal hours for singers on all but five-minute-or-less and over- five-to-15-minute programs. • An increase in the overtime rate for certain group dancers on award shows from $45 to $48 per hour effective, July 1, 2018. • An 11.5-percent increase in the stand- in and/or dance-ins rates from $26 per hour to $29 per hour by the last year of the contract. The Network Television Code generates more than $200 million a year in covered member earnings and covers programming in nearly all television day parts as well as programming produced for digital media. Covered programs include dramas in first-run syndication, morning news shows, talk shows, serials (soap operas), variety, reality, contest, sports and promotional announcements. Current programs covered by this contract include Good Morning America, Ellen, The Young and the Restless, Jeopardy, Saturday Night Live, The Voice, Dancing with the Stars, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the Academy Awards and the Super Bowl, to name a few. MEMBERS APPROVE 2018 NETWORK TELEVISION CODE WHAT'S THIS NEW CODE ON MY CARD? A QR code of your membership number now appears on your card and on your app. In the near future, you can use it to check in when you attend SAG-AFTRA events after you have registered online. DOWNLOAD THE APP AND STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS! sagaftra.org/app JOHN Q SAMPLE 10123456 Broadcast/News & Information | San Francisco-Nor Cal Member Since 1983 | Expires 10.31.2018