First Major SAG-AFTRA Contracts Approved with 96 Percent of Vote

LOS ANGELES SAG-AFTRA members approved three-year contracts with the advertising industry. The 2013 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract and 2013 SAG-AFTRA Radio Recorded Commercials Contract are the first major contracts negotiated by SAG-AFTRA since the March 2012 union merger.

The contracts cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and new media and will result in wage increases and other payments totaling $238 million for all categories of performers, improvements in cable use fees, increases in payments for work on the Internet and new media platforms, an increase in the late payment fee, and an increase in contributions to the health and pension/retirement plans.

The agreements also achieved recognition for the new union, merged the previous SAG and AFTRA television contracts into a single contract, and renamed the radio contract as a SAG-AFTRA contract.

The membership voted 96 percent in favor of the new contracts, which go into effect, retroactive to April 1, and remain in force until June 30, 2016. Integrity Voting Systems, an election service based in Everett, Wash., facilitated the voting and certified the count.

These contracts represent solid improvements and demonstrate the value of the collaborative relationship we've developed with the negotiators on the Joint Policy Committee, said David White, national executive director and chief negotiator.

SAG-AFTRA was represented in the commercials negotiations by Reardon, White, Negotiating Committee Vice Chairs Sue-Anne Morrow, Allen Lulu, Ilyssa Fradin, and David Hartley-Margolin, Co-Lead Negotiators Ray Rodriguez and Mathis Dunn, and Senior Advisor John McGuire.

On April 21, the SAG-AFTRA National Board unanimously approved the tentative commercials agreements, and approved a motion offering members the opportunity to ratify by voting online or by paper ballots. Votes had to be received by May 31, 5 p.m. PDT.

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