A Letter from Your Atlanta Local President

Cast an informed vote for the 2022 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract.

Strong local unions occur when members are informed, educated and active and I believe this is a direct result of ongoing, effective communication. To that end, I want to highlight some of the changes in the new 2022 Commercials Contracts tentative agreement, and urge you to make a well-informed vote in the ratification referendum. 
But first, a little background…

Postcards with voting instructions, including your unique PIN number, were mailed on Thursday, April 14, and the deadline to vote here is this Thursday, May 5, at 5 p.m. PT.

We have all seen the shift from linear to digital television over the last ten years. Many of us have “cut the cord” to stream the content we want when and how we want it. This transition to digital has also occurred in the advertising industry where advertising dollars are transitioning from linear to digital platforms.

In response to this transition, SAG-AFTRA and the Joint Policy Committee, the bargaining partners of SAG-AFTRA known as the JPC, agreed to a joint third-party study to continue the parties' investigation into alternative methods of compensation and other changes that may be necessary for the Commercials Contracts to reflect industry and technological developments. Slalom Consulting LLC conducted the study and made a final report available at the end of 2021. I hope many of you had the opportunity to attend the informational and Q&A session in November hosted by SAG-AFTRA.

In February 2022, SAG-AFTRA members came together in New York as the Commercials Negotiating Committee for the first in-person contract negotiations since the pandemic began. I was proud to be a part of the committee and can speak from firsthand knowledge that the committee worked collaboratively, with discernment and diligence, to mitigate the impact on our members of a shifting landscape of advertising.

While serving on the Commercials Negotiating Committee, the result I hoped to see from negotiations was to secure a contract that accomplished the following:

• Responds to the changing landscape of commercial advertising
• Anticipates revenue growth corresponding with shifts in advertising spends
• Protects and secures more work opportunities for our members
• Remains viable and attractive to our employers.

After seven weeks of intense negotiations, I believe the committee met the goals stated above and ensured that SAG-AFTRA’s contracts continue to be relevant to our industry.

What’s in the new agreement?

• 10% increase to scale rates in the first year of the contract
• Brand new flat-rate fees for four-week, 13-week and one-year cycles for most types of commercials that simplify our contract and gets rid of the wild spot unit and cable tables
• Class A use payments reduced in exchange for increases in digital payment structures with a 5% reduction in Class A rates and a cap of $20,000 per 13-week cycle, to deliver gains in digital usage on streaming platforms like Hulu and Amazon Prime. This shift responds directly to the transition from linear to digital advertising, where use will continue to grow, helping us make the transition to a digital future.
• A new Mitigation Fund will address performers impacted most by the use-fee caps. The proceeds of the fund will be distributed to performers whose commercials most run in Class A.

The following provisions came directly from concerns raised by members through the W&W process.

• New protections on self-taping that prevent requests for unsafe activities, angle changes and multiple locations. Sides must be provided 24 hours in advance, and notice of delays must be given while in virtual waiting rooms.
• For the first time, hair and makeup people must be able to work on diverse performers to be considered “qualified.”
• New rules for nudity and intimate scenes
• No nude auditions
• Advance notice of any requirement to perform nude or partially nude, with ability to  refuse work and still be paid for the day if the requirements are not met
• Call Sheet to include SAG-AFTRA harassment reporting info
• Performers must now be told at the time of audition if the producer will be applying any waivers.
• For live remote auditions, Producer shall provide a virtual “waiting room” or other arrangement that allows performers to be notified of any delays (e.g., using the chat function of a virtual meeting platform to communicate with performers).

There is so much more to learn about this innovative commercials contract. I urge everyone to engage with your union and have a voice in your future! 

Please click here to view a summary of the new provisions in the 2022 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract.

Get informed and vote here by 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 5. 

It’s your union,

SAG-AFTRA Atlanta Local President Eric Goins