Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1467606
16 SAGAFTRA | Spring 2022 | sagaftra.org News, Information and Benefits M embers of SAG-AFTRA over- whelmingly voted on May 5 to ratify the 2022 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract and the 2022 SAG-AFTRA Audio Commercials Contract. The vote was in favor The agreement reects important structural changes in the industry, especially in digital streaming. The results came in just as this issue went to press; the rest of the magazine was created prior to the vote deadline. The ey rovisions of the ratified contract include: • million in gains for members. • A increase in session fees starting this year. • Flat-fee, per-cycle rates across most digital and traditional media. • Critical hair and makeup equity protections for diverse members. • Lasting cultural change through new standards for nude or partially nude work. • No more unreasonable or unsafe self-tape and live-remote auditions, thanks to clear boundaries on what can be asked. • Fortifying the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan with increased contributions. • New compensation for digital use, paired with an employer-paid fund to mitigate the impact of reduced earnings on the most high-volume Class A use. We did it! An overwhelming majority of members agreed on the new Commercials Contracts," said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. As we move into a digital age, bold moves and structural changes had to be made. Our amazing negotiating committee heard what members needed and delivered new contracts with more money for streaming, more contributions to the health plan, limitations on self-tape auditions, hair and makeup eq uity, intimacy protections and more. These contracts create a baseline upon which to build a new future." SAG-AFTRA National Commercials Negotiating Committee Chair Gabrielle Carteris added, Throughout the nearly eight-week process, our negotiating committee never wavered and remained laser-focused on modernizing and transforming our Commercials Contracts. Our success in the negotiations is directly tied to the incredible support, advice and work of National xecutive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and hief ontracts fficer and ead Negotiator Ray Rodriguez, whose inuence and wise counsel is found in every provision in the contracts." This old new agreement reects SAG-AFTRA's multi-year approach to address the major shifts in the advertising industry and the growth of digital and streaming platforms," said SAG-AFTRA National xecutive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. We are changing with the times and adapting our agreements to ensure our members can enefit from the longterm evolution in the industry. This agreement will ensure union members continue to work and continue to receive the earnings they deserve. The agreement will also support expanding the coverage of work performed under a SAG-AFTRA contract. The fantastic commitment and energy of the negotiating committee eemlifies how SAG-AFTRA and its members can overcome any future challenges by tackling our mission with a well-thought-out strategy, with foresight, passion, perseverance and most of all, unity." Initial rate increases are retroactive to April 1, 2022, and a second set of rate increases apply beginning June 1, 2022. The new payment and editing structure also becomes effective June 1, 2022. The ratification vote follows the SAG-AFTRA National Board's recommendation on April 9 that members vote yes on the new three-year contract with the oint olicy ommittee, Votes were submitted online and by mail-in ballot, with the deadline of May 5, 2022, at 5 p.m. PDT. The final vote was certified y ntegrity Voting Systems, an impartial election service based in verett, Washington. Negotiations on the agreement began on Feb. 15 and concluded with a tentative agreement on April 5. Voting instruction postcards were mailed to approximately 133,000 members. Additional details about the contracts can be found at sagaftra.org/commercials2022. SAG-AFTRA Members Ratify Commercials Contracts THIS JUST IN