AFTRA and SAG agree on game industry gigs
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) today announced they have reached tentative agreements with video game companies on new contracts. The agreements—which become effective upon ratification and remain in full force until March 30, 2011— “achieves parity between the AFTRA and Screen Actors Guild contracts and includes expiration dates of March 30, 2011.
In addition, the contracts deliver a 3 percent wage increase upon ratification for SAG, thereby bringing SAG’s wages into parity with AFTRA’s, and another 2.5 percent increase on April 1, 2010, for both unions. Both pacts contain increases in benefit contributions and a liquidated damages provision to incentivize employers to give notice of strenuous voice work.
The contracts also establish a new category of performance for “atmospheric voices” that is designed to increase work opportunities for union performers by allowing Producers the flexibility to record multiple minor character voices in a single session. The agreements also establish a cap of $125,000 on contributions to the AFTRA Health and Retirement and SAG Pension and Health funds. The cap will only apply to performers who are paid more than $125,000 by a single producer in a single year for work done on the same game franchise.
The tentative agreements must be approved by Screen Actors Guild’s National Board of Directors and the AFTRA Administrative Committee, both of which will meet in the coming weeks.
Highlights of these agreements include after the break - this is a pretty big deal if you haven’t already figured it out:
The achievement of parity between the SAG and AFTRA contracts including contemporaneous expiration on March 30, 2011.
A 3 percent wage increase for Screen Actors Guild members upon ratification and additional 2.5 percent increase on April 1, 2010, for both unions.
A .5 percent increase in the pension and health contribution rate for Screen Actors Guild member effective upon ratification, and another .2 percent on January 1, 2010, for both unions (bringing the total rate to 15 percent).
The establishment of a $100 liquidated damage for failure to give notice of vocally stressful work.
An agreement to develop during the term of the contract a set of guidelines for conducting vocally stressful work.
