The membership of the Screen Actors Guild and the American
Federation of Television and Radio Artists has voted overwhelmingly to approve new
three-year contracts covering TV and theatrical productions.
The new contracts boost base pay rates and contributions to
benefit plans. Union negotiators had reached the tentative deal Nov. 7 and
recommended it to the membership, with that deal coming only six weeks after
talks with the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers began on
Sept. 27.
According to the new contract, SAG and AFTRA members get
a 6% pay increase, 2% in each year of the contract, as well as a 10%
increase in employer contributions to the pension and health plans.
The contract also expands coverage of new media production.
SAG and AFTRA collectively voted 93.52% in favor, 6.48%
opposed, though only about 25% of the more than 137,000 ballots mailed out were
returned.
The new contract goes from Jul. 1, 2011 to Jun. 30, 2014.
