Following the tentative deal reached Tuesday morning between the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, SAG-AFTRA has released a summary of the new agreement.
Among the concessions achieved by SAG-AFTRA: Residuals from streaming services have been increased, and expedited. Actors will receive residuals from streaming after 90 days, instead of a full year. In addition, the new formula will net actors a 300 percent increase in residuals during the first two years after their work is shown worldwide on Netflix, according to the guild.
The agreement also modifies rules governing travel for TV performers, with an up-to-five-fold increase in fees to actors who work on location. Further, the deal reduces exclusivity periods for series performers, and increases overtime provisions for extras working on the West Coast, bringing compensation in line with New York standards. Pay for photo doubles has also been increased, as has pay for stunt coordinators under contracts on television.
The new agreement also strikes a blow for efforts to increase diversity, with “Middle Eastern North African” now recognized as a diverse category in the casting data report.
According to SAG-AFTRA, the deal’s highlights include:
Total package valued at $256 million over three years
3-year agreement commencing July 1, 2017 and expiring June 30, 2020
Wage increases of 2.5 percent in the first year, 3 percent in the second year and 3 percent in the third year
Half percent increase in the current rate of employer contributions paid to the SAG
Pension Plan and AFTRA Retirement Fund in the first year of the agreement, raising the total contribution rate to 17.5 percent effective July 1, 2017
Secured an additional .2 percent increase in funding to the SAG-AFTRA industry cooperative funds, which will support monitoring animal safety on sets, safety training and sexual harassment prevention training
Achieved recognition of Middle Eastern North African as a diverse category in the casting data report
Agreement to study the design and implementation of an electronic reporting system for performer work times
Improved residuals for programming made for SVOD (subscription video-on-demand)
First residual is now due in 90 days rather than one year
Increase in the residual rate
First ever residuals compensation for foreign use
Improvements to money and schedule breaks
Improvements to the advertiser-supported streaming residuals
Outsized increase of 18 percent for background actors working under the CW supplement
Terms requiring that all background actors be paid double-time starting after 10 hours of work
The deal is now subject to approval by SAG-AFTRA’s National Board of Directors followed by ratification by guild members.