An Important Update from the Union on Return to Work Protocols

Dear Member,

We are pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers establishing science-based safety protocols for those working on film and television productions.

The return to work has been a top priority for our performer members, and since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged and the subsequent shutdown of production, SAG-AFTRA has actively been defining the safety rules that must be in place to maximize member safety when we return to work.

The protocols are a result of a collaboration with our sister unions, the Directors Guild of America, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and the Basic Crafts. Together, we worked with the AMPTP to create a system that will provide a safer work environment on set for all workers.

The heart of the agreement is a zone system that divides the different sections of the production and implements strictly enforced testing procedures for each, depending on risk. The system is based on The Safe Way Forward report released in June, which was developed in consultation with leading epidemiologists and experts, as well as the preceding industry white paper.

For more information on the protocols, join us for a livestreamed discussion, RETURN TO WORK: Putting Protocols into Practice, this Friday at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. Click HERE to RSVP.

The full text of the agreement can be found here.

In unity,

Gabrielle Carteris
SAG-AFTRA President

David White
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director