Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1497702
4 I D G A M O N T H L Y DGA Membership Ratifies New Network Agreements DGA members have voted overwhelmingly to ratify the new three-year Network Agreements. The three-year collective bargaining agreements between the DGA and ABC, CBS and NBC covers staff and freelance members employed in news, sports, local and operations at the companies' television networks and many of their owned local television stations. Voting, which closed on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 came after the DGA National Board's unanimous approval on Sunday, February 19, 2023. The Network Agreements are separate from the Guild's Basic Agreement and the Freelance Live and Tape Television and are also negotiated every three years. Highlights of the tentative agreement include: • Wage increases of 3% in each of the three years of the Agreement for a compound wage increase of 9.27%. • An immediate increase in the rate the Networks contribute to the DGA Pension Plan of .5%, raising the contribution rate from 8.5% to 9%, plus the right to divert more if necessary from the negotiated wage increase during the term of the Agreement. • First time streaming jurisdiction in news with ABC News Live, and the right to negotiate the assignment of DGA members to streaming with NBC and CBS (and ABC Local) during the term of the agreement. • Creation of seven yearly "wellness" days for regular Network Freelancers that may be pre-planned. The negotiations between the DGA's Network Negotiations Committee and ABC, CBS and NBC began in mid-September in New York and concluded just last week. The Committee was headed by Chair Lily Olszewski (DGA Sixth Vice-President/Director, ABC's Good Morning America) with Co-Chairs Brett Holey (Senior Director, NBC News), and DGA Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Joyce Thomas (Associate Director, CBS's Media Distribution Center) together with lead negotiator, DGA Eastern Executive Director Neil Dudich. The Guild's current contract with the networks expires on June 30, 2023. The new contract will cover the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026. If you have any questions about the new agreement, please contact DGA Assistant Executive Director Michael Berger in New York at (212) 258-0802 or DGA Assistant Executive Director Lisa Layer in Los Angeles at (310) 289-2067. 2023 DGA Biennial National Convention Delegate Election Every two years the DGA holds its Biennial National Convention, where Delegates from each category and region elect the Guild's Officers and other National Board of Directors Members and Alternates. The next Biennial National Convention will be held on Saturday, August 5, 2023. Only duly- elected Delegates will be permitted to attend the Biennial National Convention. KEY 2023 DATES: • Online Convention Delegate Nominations Open: Thursday, April 27 • Online Convention Delegate Nominations Close: Thursday, May 18 • Online Convention Delegate Final Ballots Open: Tuesday, June 6 • Online Convention Delegate Final Ballots Close: Tuesday, June 27 • DGA Biennial National Convention: Saturday, August 5 Pursuant to Article V, Section B.3 of the DGA Constitution and Bylaws, the number of Delegates for each category in each metropolitan area is determined by the election of one representative for each one hundred members as of the April 1st preceding the election. Any member who satisfies all of the eligibility criteria set forth in the DGA Constitution and Bylaws, including the "working in the trade" requirement, may be elected as a Biennial National Convention Delegate. Delegate nominations and elections will take place online (except for some categories in certain metropolitan areas which do not require this initial phase). An email will be sent to all eligible members outlining the Biennial National Convention Delegate nominations and election processes and will contain specific instructions regarding online voting; please carefully follow those instructions. If you have any questions regarding the DGA Biennial Convention Delegate election, contact the DGA National Office at (310) 289-5382 or elections@dga.org.