negotiations

AFTRA members are moving forward together to build strength at the bargaining table to win better contracts

1. Commercials Contracts expired on March 31, 2009 -- RE-NEGOTIATED

Joint AFTRA and SAG National Board of Directors Approves New Commercials Contracts for Ratification Meeting by videoconference plenary in Los Angeles and New York, the Joint SAG-AFTRA National Board today voted unanimously to approve and recommend to members, new three-year successor agreements to the 2006 AFTRA Television and Radio Commercials Contracts and the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Television Commercials Contract. Click here to read more. AFTRA and SAG Reach Tentative Agreement with Advertising Industry on New Commercials Contracts NEW YORK (APRIL 1, 2009)—Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced today that the AFTRA/SAG Joint Negotiating Committee has reached a unanimous tentative agreement with the Joint Policy Committee (JPC) of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) on terms for successor agreements to the AFTRA Television and Radio Commercials Contracts and the SAG Television Commercials Contract, subject to approval by the SAG/AFTRA Joint National Board. Joint Statement from AFTRA and SAG Regarding Commercials Contracts Negotiations Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced today that the AFTRA/SAG Joint Negotiating Committee has reached a unanimous tentative agreement with the Joint Policy Committee (JPC) of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) on terms for successor agreements to the AFTRA Television and Radio Commercials Contracts and the SAG Television Commercials Contract, subject to approval by the SAG/AFTRA Joint National Board.Click here to read more. Joint Statement from AFTRA and SAG Regarding Commercials Contracts Negotiations On Saturday, February 7, the Joint National Board of Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists met in videoconference plenary in Los Angeles and New York and approved by an overwhelming majority a package of proposals for the changes to the AFTRA Television and Radio Commercials Contracts and SAG Television Commercials Contract. The SAG and AFTRA Commercials Contracts will be bargained under the terms of the Phase One Agreement that applies to the Commercials Contracts negotiations only. Negotiations are scheduled to commence on February 23 in New York. Joint Statement from AFTRA, SAG, and AFL-CIO Regarding Commercials Contracts Negotiations National Boards of Directors of AFTRA and SAG have worked with the AFL-CIO to establish a framework in which the two unions will negotiate the AFTRA Television and Radio Recorded Commercials Contracts and the SAG Television Commercials Contract under the rules of an expanded Phase One Agreement. Click here to read the joint statement. Important Notice Regarding the Joint Wages & Working Conditions Process in Preparation for the Commercials Contract Negotiations AFTRA and SAG are pleased to announce the beginning of the Joint Wages & Working Conditions (W&W) process in preparation for negotiation of the Commercials Contracts that were extended from October 31, 2008, to March 31, 2009. It is only through the involvement of members that proposals for this vital negotiation are developed. Click here to read the notice. AFTRA and SAG Commercials Contracts Member Educational Meetings These meetings will provide the members of both unions the opportunity to hear the results of the Booz Allen Study that was undertaken by AFTRA, SAG ,and the JPC. A group discussion will follow the presentation. These meetings are in advance of the Wages and Working Conditions process and will in no way replace the process by which we develop proposals. Click here for more information and for date, time, and location information. Performers' Unions and Advertising Industry Select Booz Allen Hamilton to Conduct Study on Commercials Compensation Models The study examines performer compensation models for commercials appearing on television, radio, and the Internet, as well as the growing array of existing and yet-to-be-developed media—and will be considered by the performers' unions and advertising industry in negotiating new Commercials Contracts when the current two-year extension agreement expires October 28, 2008. Click here for more details>>

2. Sound Recordings expired June 30, 2007 -- RE-NEGOTIATED

AFTRA Members Ratify Sound Recordings Code By a 98.5%% margin of approval, AFTRA members ratified the National Sound Recordings Code that provides increased session rates, improved health and retirement coverage for royalty artists, and a new formula for compensation on digital downloads. Full details in news release>> AFTRA Reaches Tentative Agreement with Record Labels on Sound Recordings Contract “As we come together at the GRAMMY Awards this Sunday to celebrate the accomplishments of performers, this new agreement for the Sound Recordings Code highlights the importance of AFTRA members working together to win better contracts throughout the entertainment and media industry,” said AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon. Click here to read the press release>> Tell the Record Labels to Negotiate a Fair Contract for AFTRA Recording Artists and Singers The major record labels want to strip or reduce benefits to recording artists and keep singers from being paid for digital distributions. Tell them that their proposals are totally unacceptable. Sign the petition today to tell the record labels to negotiate a fair contract for all recording artists and singers>>

3. Network Radio extended to March 31, 2009

4. Network TV expired May 1, 2008 -- RE-NEGOTIATED

AFTRA Members Ratify Network Television Code The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced today that AFTRA members ratified the Network Television Code by an overwhelming 93.35% approval. Click here for full details>> Vote YES on Network TV Code Join with AFTRA members in voting YES to ratify the new agreement. Click here for details>> Tentative Agreement Reached on Network TV Code  AFTRA has reached a tentative agreement with the four major television networks and producers on the Network Television Code, which is subject to AFTRA National Board approval and ratification from members. "This agreement is a major milestone for AFTRA as substantial gains in wages and working conditions for performers were successfully achieved," said Roberta Reardon, AFTRA President and Chair of the Negotiating Committee. Read the entire news release here>> Network TV Code Negotiations Began February 19 Negotiations with the employers over terms of the AFTRA Network TV Code began on February 19 and are ongoing. A news blackout is in effect. AFTRA Postpones Start of Network Code Negotiations AFTRA has issued a statement regarding the Network Code negotiations scheduled to begin next week. Click here to read the statement>> AFTRA Members Begin to Develop Proposals for TV Network Code Negotiations With one of the two major negotiations for TV programming set to begin in January 2008, AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon formally announced today that members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists are gearing up over the next six weeks for the “Wages and Working Conditions” process to develop proposals and negotiation strategy for the AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting (the so-called, “Network Code”). Click here to read more>>

5. Non-Broadcast/Industrial expired April 30, 2008 -- EXTENDED WITH INCREASES

AFTRA and SAG Announce Member Caucuses for the Non-Broadcast/Industrial Code Click here>> National Board Seeks to Extend Code Recognizing the work needed to restructure the AFTRA Non-Broadcast/Industrial Code and to reorganize members and signatory employers, the National Board granted authority to the AFTRA Non-Broadcast/Industrial Steering Committee to seek an extension to the contract that expires April 30, 2008.

6. CBS/ABC Network News expired May 15, 2008 -- RE-NEGOTIATED

AFTRA Ratifies Agreement with ABC, CBS on Network News Contract AFTRA members ratified contracts with ABC and CBS on their respective Network Staff Newspersons’ Agreements this past month. The agreements cover on-air journalists at the network divisions of ABC and CBS, including news anchors, correspondents, and reporters. Click here to read more>>

7. Primetime Dramatic TV (Exhibit A) expired June 30, 2008 -- RE-NEGOTIATED

AFTRA Members Ratify Primetime Television Contract AFTRA members ratified a new three-year primetime television agreement (Exhibit A of the AFTRA Network Television Code) reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) by a 62.4% margin. Click here to read the full story>> AFTRA Primetime TV Contract Draws Support AFTRA has received tremendous support from the labor community as well as Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for the successful negotiation of a new three-year primetime television contract (Exhibit A of the AFTRA Network Television Code) with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Click here to read the statements of support from the AFL-CIO, DGA, IATSE and the Mayor>> AFTRA National Board Sends Primetime TV Contract to Membership for Ratification The National Board of Directors of AFTRA overwhelmingly approved and sent to its membership for ratification the tentative agreement its negotiating committee recently reached with the AMPTP on a new three-year primetime television contract at its meeting yesterday. Click here for details>> AFTRA Reaches Tentative Agreement with AMPTP on Primetime Television Contract The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new three-year primetime television contract. Full details in news release>> Read a message to members from President Roberta Reardon on the new agreement>> AFTRA Primetime Negotiations Member Update Read the May 25 member update of primetime TV negotiations from National President Roberta Reardon. Click here to read more>> AFTRA Primetime Negotiations Member Update Read the May 19 member update of primetime TV negotiations from National President Roberta Reardon. Click here to read more>> JOINT STATEMENT FROM AFTRA AND AMPTP  ENCINO, Calif. (May 7, 2008) -- As scheduled, today the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) began formal negotiations regarding a new three-year Exhibit A of the Network Code agreement. At the start of talks, both parties expressed their desire to engage in open, productive discussions that will hopefully lead to a resolution that makes sense for both AFTRA and the industry. Both parties believe that these negotiations will be most productive if we refrain from commenting to the media until an agreement is reached.   AFTRA to Commence Negotiations with AMPTP on May 7 for a New Three-Year Primetime TV Contract The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced that its Primetime Negotiating Committee, comprised of 31 working actors, will commence formal talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers regarding a new three-year Exhibit A of the Network Code agreement on Wednesday, May 7. Click here for full details>> AFTRA Agrees to Postpone Start of Primetime TV Talks AFTRA has issued the following statement regarding its primetime television contract negotiations scheduled to commence May 5: "At the joint request of the AMPTP and SAG, AFTRA has agreed to postpone the commencement of its primetime television negotiations until Wednesday, May 7, or sooner. The AFTRA Negotiating Committee has granted this second extension in order to give the current negotiations between the AMPTP and SAG more opportunity to succeed." AFTRA Agrees to Postpone Start of Primetime TV Talks (April 24, 2008) -- AFTRA issued the following statement regarding the primetime television contract negotiations scheduled to begin April 28: "At the request of the AMPTP, AFTRA has agreed to postpone the commencement of its primetime television negotiations until May 5. The AFTRA Negotiating Committee would like to give the negotiations already underway between the AMPTP and the Screen Actors Guild a chance to succeed, and while AFTRA is ready to begin negotiations now, we believe we can best serve our members' interests by briefly postponing our negotiations. AFTRA remains focused on achieving important gains for our members." AFTRA and SAG Representatives Present Contract Proposal Package to Unions’ Joint Board on Saturday, March 29 The Joint American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) National Wages and Working Conditions Committee met in a face-to-face plenary March 25 and 26 and unanimously approved proposals for consideration by the joint AFTRA-SAG board of directors at its meeting this Saturday in Los Angeles. Click here to read more>> Get Ready for Primetime--W&W Schedule Announced It's time for AFTRA members to get ready for Primetime by joining in the Wages and Working Conditions process for negotiations of Exhibit A of the AFTRA Network TV Code  Click here to read more>> Get Ready for Primetime: Voices for Diversity As AFTRA members get ready for upcoming negotiations of Exhibit A of the AFTRA Network TV Code, it’s important that the voices of women, seniors, minorities, performers with disabilities, and the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) communities are heard. Click here for more information>> The Primetime Suggestion Box is open E-mail your suggestions for proposals for the Primetime Agreement--Exhibit A of the AFTRA Network TV Code--to primetime@aftra.com. Your suggestions and ideas will be forwarded to the AFTRA Primetime Steering Committee. AFTRA Members Getting Ready for Primetime The AFTRA Primetime Steering Committee is alerting AFTRA members that the formal Wages and Working Conditions (“W&W”) process for AFTRA's contract terms covering Network Primetime Dramatic Programming will officially begin in February 2008. Click here to read more>>

8. Interactive Media expires December 31, 2008 -- EXTENDED WITH INCREASES