SAG-AFTRA Members Approve AMPTP Contract After Days of Debate

Despite opposition from Time’s Up and guild’s L.A. local, contract is approved with 74% of the vote

Getty Images

SAG-AFTRA members have voted to approve their guild’s proposed contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers after a contentious voting period which saw several prominent members voice their opposition.

The contract was approved with a similar margin to the last contract vote with with 74.2% voting yes. By comparison, 75.7% of members voted yes on the 2017 studio contract, while 92% voted to approve the 2014 contract. 27% of all guild members voted.

“I am grateful for the many members who got involved and used their voices to help set the priorities for this contract,” said guild president Gabrielle Carteris in a statement. “This is a forward thinking agreement that builds on the changing realities of the streaming business and positions our union to continue the fight for a safer workplace for all.”

“I want to thank the negotiating committee and the many members who gave their input into this process,” added National Executive Director David White. “Your voices were critical to achieving the important gains we made in this agreement. I also want to recognize the incredible dedication and commitment of our staff who worked so diligently throughout this negotiation.”

The new contract includes a 26% increase in residuals for high budget streaming projects, a major issue for all of Hollywood’s guilds given the rise of several studio-developed streaming services like HBO Max and the recently-launched Peacock. The contract also codifies new protections for actors involved in nude and simulated sex scenes, including the requirement of all actors involved receiving a rider outlining the details of the scene with contact information for questions with at least 48 hours notice.

But during the voting period, the board of SAG-AFTRA’s largest local in Los Angeles voted 29-13 against approving the contract, with leaders criticizing the contract for not going far enough to protect actors in intimate scenes. Among the complaints were the lack of regulations requiring the deletion of unused intimate scene footage and inadequate protections for background actors. On the monetary side, actors like Vincent D’Onofrio, Sophia Bush and Rob Schneider also criticized the contract’s lack of guaranteed minimums for shows with runtimes of under 20 minutes, a format that mobile streaming service Quibi is attempting to popularize.

On Monday, anti-harassment organization Time’s Up also spoke out against the contract, urging members to vote against the contract and have the guild’s negotiating team fight for better protections. The statement prompted a rebuke from SAG-AFTRA leadership, who said that the organization did not have “the right or the invitation to intrude into this collective bargaining process that is led by the members for whom this organization and these agreements exist.”

With SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America’s contracts now ratified, the Writers Guild of America West stands as the last guild left to complete this cycle of AMPTP negotiations. The WGA reached a tentative deal with the studios earlier this month, and members can vote on the contract until next Wednesday evening.

Source: Read Full Article