Saturday, January 15, 2011
SAG-AFTRA Approve Three-year Film and TV Contract
The Hollywood Reporter: "The combined SAG and AFTRA membership ratified a new motion picture and television deal with the AMPTP today by a healthy margin of 93.52 percent to 6.48 percent. The tentative deal was reached in November, and endorsed by the unions’ boards last month.
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4 comments:
The contract looks like a good deal for union memebrs. It gives greater consideration to what these workers will do after they retire, and are relient on the funds they have generated earlier in life. "Union negotiators also secured a significant increase in employer contributions to pension and health funds, but have been criticized by some for concessions made in employer-provided travel accommodations." these contributions to helth funds also appear to be a genuinely possitive move forward. the reduced travel accomodations could be a cause for concern, however the health benefits certainly have a more over arching, and more important effect.
Nic
I think we will be seeing a lot more improvement toward union health and pension plan over the next couple of years. With the growing concern about social security and health plans today people want to be guaranteed a healthy reasonable living once they retire. Definitely good news for the union. I am also glad to see that airline travel does not have to first class. While that is a nice perk that money can be used elsewhere.
I'm surprised to see no changes in payment in regards to new forms of media in this contract. From what I remember, this was the big sticking point that almost led to the SAG strike following the WGA strike. The WGA negotiations are certainly the one to watch, because they felt so strongly about changes in payments for new forms of media. I wonder if this will start to be taken on a case-by-case basis, and shows with a large web presence (such as The Office) will maybe begin offering these new contracts with new media incorporated.
A part of this feels like a political circus. People struggling for power for that doesn't really exist. I agree that the negotiations are important and that union members and producers should be protected from each other, but in these economic times they are only nickle and dimming each other and causing more problems. I think we need to reevaluate how unions work in this country across the board. At the time of their creation they were useful, but the world has changed and they have not. Its time to update.
Now to WGA. How come they haven't scheduled talks. They know its going to be a long process. Both sides are setting up for a strike again and playing politics, rather than doing what the union negotiations are intended to do.
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