In national voting completed Friday, March 22, members of SAG-AFTRA ratified the 2023 Television Animation Agreement and the 2023 Basic Cable Animation Agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Members approved the new three-year contracts by a vote of 95.52% to 4.48%.
The contracts provide strong protections around the use of artificial intelligence and a pattern-busting 7% wage increase that applies retroactively to July 1, 2023. The union also achieved improvements to High Budget SVOD residuals and protections for ADR, Interstitial and Theatrical Exhibition.
A full list of provisions achieved in the contracts can be found in SAG-AFTRA’s summary here.
“The foundation of this agreement was based on the feedback we got from members who work these contracts, and that remained the negotiating committee’s focus throughout bargaining. We are proud to have delivered an agreement that offers big wins in those areas,” said TV Animation Negotiating Committee Co-Chairs Bob Bergen and David Jolliffe. “This is the first SAG-AFTRA animation voiceover contract with protections against the misuse of artificial intelligence.”
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland commented, “This contract represents a meaningful step forward in expanding our AI protections. The contract provides important new terms in the areas of foreign residuals, high-budget SVOD productions, late payments and much more. I am gratified we were able to achieve these significant gains without the need for a work stoppage, and want to express my appreciation to our outstanding negotiating committee chairs and members, as well as lead negotiator Ray Rodriguez and the dedicated negotiating staff.”
Votes were submitted online and by mail-in ballot, with the deadline of today, March 22, 2024, at 5 p.m. PDT. The final vote was certified by Integrity Voting Systems, an impartial election service based in Everett, Washington. The agreement becomes effective retroactive to July 1, 2023, and expires June 30, 2026.
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP were delayed due to last year’s TV/Theatrical strike, and the previous contract was extended. On Feb. 22, SAG-AFTRA announced the tentative agreement with the AMPTPT.
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists, influencers and other entertainment and media professionals.
