SAG-AFTRA Releases Full Tentative Agreement Ahead of Voting Deadline

After months of ongoing strikes and mass boycotts, SAG-AFTRA has finally released the entire 129-page tentative TV and theatrical deal on its website. 

This has come earlier than usual because of incessant vocal criticisms from two of its prominent members.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union’s national executive director and chief negotiator, explains the reason for the haste, sighting that some union members have asked to review the draft of the MOA during the voting period itself. Read his full quotes below: 

As you may know, traditionally, SAG-AFTRA contract ratification votes rely on our detailed summaries of the new agreement, as the drafting of a formal memorandum of agreement (MOA) usually takes many weeks. 

However, for this historic deal some members have asked to review the full draft MOA during the ratification voting period.

The official MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) covers every aspect of the planned three-year deal with the studio and streaming members of the AMPTP, the group representing the film and TV industry. 

The members have until December 5 to vote whether they accept or reject the agreement. If they agree, the new contract will start from November 9 this year and end on June 30, 2026.

This agreement comes after an almost 3-month debacle which, in tandem with the Writers’ Guild of America’s strike, brought the entire Hollywood industry to a standstill. The strike finally ended on November 9 after SAG-AFTRA reached a tentative deal with AMPTP that protected the interests of actors and writers. 

Some of the major points in that deal included a compounded minimum rate increase of 7%-4%-3.5%, streaming bonuses involving a new fund to compensate actors for streaming exhibition shows, and finally, laws protecting the creative industry from the advent of AI. 

Union President Fran Drescher and Crabtree-Ireland have supported the new plan, which will bring in an additional $1 billion in compensations and $312 million in the benefit plans of the actors and other performers. 

However, the sailing has not been smooth, as two primary members of SAG-AFTRA have voiced their opposition to the new plan.

The two members, namely Justine Bateman and Matthew Modine, have raised significant concerns over the fact that AI protections are not strict enough in the new agreement. 

Matthew Modine, who ran for the last two SAG-AFTRA presidential elections, also issued a statement voicing his concerns. 

I cannot endorse a contract that compromises the independence and financial futures of the performers…

Consent means surrendering your physical and vocal identity to an employer. A Faustian bargain. If this contract is ratified, every contract moving forward may require, as a condition of employment, members to consent to the use of artificial intelligence as defined by an employer.

Read the full cover letter from Duncan Crabtree-Ireland below:

As you may know, traditionally SAG-AFTRA contract ratification votes rely on our detailed summaries of the new agreement, as the drafting of a formal memorandum of agreement (MOA) usually takes many weeks. However, for this historic deal some members have asked to review the full draft MOA during the ratification voting period.  

I’m pleased to advise that the draft MOA containing detailed language on all of the changes in the 2023 TV/Theatrical Contracts tentative agreement has now been posted to sagaftra.org/contracts2023. Click here to view it.

These contracts achieve more than $1 billion in NEW compensation and benefit plan funding (including an additional $317.2 million to the benefit plans). The contracts establish lengthy and detailed AI guardrails that didn’t exist before and do protect you as we meet the challenge of this new technology, hair and makeup equity, significantly increased background coverage, outsized streaming residuals, a new streaming success fund, and so much more. These gains are only possible because of your sacrifice, solidarity and tenacity over the 118 days of the strike and are assured if you vote to ratify the agreement.

As you will see in the MOA, this is a draft document and is being provided to you for informational purposes only to assist your decision making during this ratification process. The MOA is not “final” until signed by both parties. 

As an additional reference to aid your review of this draft MOA, you may wish to refer to the contracts it modifies, builds upon and improves, specifically the 2014 Codified Basic Agreement and Television Agreement, both as amended by the 2017 and 2020 memorandum of agreements which followed. 

Please review these details closely to understand all of the meaningful improvements. Your National Board and Negotiating Committee both voted to approve and recommend a YES vote. To lock in these gains, you must vote to approve by 5 p.m. PT on Dec. 5, 2023. To register your vote, please visit vote.ivsballot.com/tvtheatrical2023 and use the PIN on the postcard that was mailed to eligible SAG-AFTRA members on Tuesday, Nov. 14 or if needed, your PIN can be retrieved from the voting website. 

And lastly, if you haven’t already, visit sagaftra.org/contracts2023, where you can watch videos of informational meetings, read FAQs and find many AI resources regarding the gains in this contract. 

In strength together,

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland

National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator

Comment your thoughts about this new agreement and its ramifications on the creative industry below. Do you think AI will overpower human creativity in filmmaking?