A Message From Your Washington-Mid Atlantic Local President

I want to highlight some of the changes in the new 2022 Commercials Contracts tentative agreement, and I urge you to vote YES for ratification. Postcards with voting instructions were mailed on Thursday, April 14 and the deadline to vote is May 5 at 5 p.m. PDT at ivsballot.com/commercials2022.

But first, I want to underscore just how much the television and advertising industry has changed in the last 10 years. Many of us have cut the cord and are streaming the content we want, when we want it, often on ad-free platforms. Fewer dollars are being spent in linear advertising, and more is shifting into digital.  

That is why the union and its bargaining partners, the Joint Policy Committee, undertook a one-year study of the industry to find ways to modernize the contract to meet advertisers needs while protecting and growing work for our members. After a grueling seven weeks of meetings in New York  (and I was part of the process), I believe the negotiating committee delivered on that task, starting with a 10% increase in scale session rates this year. Overall, rates in the new contract will result in a net gain of approximately 5.5%, worth $120 million over three years.

Brand new in this contract are flat-rate fees for four-week, 13-week and one-year cycles for most types of commercials. That simplifies our contract immensely and gets rid of the wild spot unit and cable tables.

One of the biggest changes shifts money out of Class A commercials, with a 5% reduction in Class A rates and a cap of $20,000 per 13-week cycle, and delivers an outsized gain in digital usage on streaming platforms like Hulu and Amazon Prime. This moves compensation to where use will continue to grow, helping us make the transition to a digital future.

There are 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. All of these gains and protections came directly from concerns raised by members. Our voices were heard.

There is so much to learn about this groundbreaking commercials contract. I encourage you to register for one of the member information workshops being held on April 19 and April 26. Click here to RSVP.

Don’t forget to vote by 5 pm PDT May 5!

All the best,

Kathryn Klvana
SAG-AFTRA Washington-Mid Atlantic President