A Letter from Your Chicago Local President

Dear Fellow SAG-AFTRA Member,

This has truly been a challenging few months. From the pandemic to the continued murder of unarmed Black people, many of us are finding ourselves concerned for our lives and our livelihoods. As a nation, we need to assess who we are and who we want to be, and actively participate in the radical reimagining of a brighter future that is just and equitable.

Our union, too, has been called to build a brighter tomorrow amid the challenges that physical distancing present to connection, collaboration and collectivity. I am proud to say that despite these challenges, our negotiating team worked diligently to reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that will help us survive through this pandemic and thrive beyond this trying time.

That joint effort resulted in the most lucrative motion picture, television and new media deal that we have ever achieved. With these contracts, $318 million will go to meaningful areas like wages and benefits, bringing more money into the homes of our members.

The new contracts are forward-thinking and strengthens the infrastructure for the future, while protecting our work in exhibition under the current agreements.

You should have already received your “Vote Yes” postcard sharing that our National Board recommends we ratify the contract. Whether submitted online or by mail, ballots must be received by 5 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. If you don’t have your PIN, you may retrieve it at the voting website. Now it’s time to do our part and vote in support of the prosperous growth of our union.

I’ve already voted YES, and here’s a few reasons why:

• Total package valued at $318 million over three years.
• Wage increases of 2.5% percent in the first year, 3% in the second year and 3% in the third year, with options to divert 0.5% to the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan or the SAG Pension Plan/AFTRA Retirement Fund in years two and three.
• Improved residuals for high-budget programming made for subscription streaming.
• Historic improvements to protections for performers working nude or performing in simulated sex scenes, including improvements to notice and consent requirements.
• New protections at auditions and interviews as well as a provision that explicitly addresses harassment prevention.
• Improvements to how overtime is calculated for stunt performers employed by the week on episodic series under schedule H-II.

These are just a few of the amazing gains achieved in this contract. The union has provided several resources at sagaftra.org/contracts2020 for learning more details and I encourage you to take advantage of them. There will be an informational meeting on the TV/Theatrical tentative agreement on July 14 at 4–7 p.m. CT. Click here to RSVP.

With this contract, we have a chance to move our industry and union forward.

I encourage you to vote YES.

In solidarity,

Charles Andrew Gardner
President, Chicago Local