SAG-AFTRA Members Vote to Approve 2018 Television Animation Agreements

LOS ANGELES (November 19, 2018) – In national voting completed today, affected members of SAG-AFTRA voted overwhelmingly to approve the 2018 successor agreements to the 2014 Producer-SAG-AFTRA Television Animation Agreement and the 2014 Producer-SAG-AFTRA Basic Cable Agreement for Animated Motion Pictures by a vote of 95.18 percent to 4.82 percent.

SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said, “This was a very important negotiation for our members who work on television animation projects due to the expansive growth of streaming media. It was imperative that we ensure our members receive compensation that reflects an evolving business model. With approval of these agreements, members will continue to be fairly compensated for the work they do.”  

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator David White said, “I commend members for voting to approve these agreements. These new contracts set important protections for members working in programs created for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and other streaming sites and ensures that our foothold in this area remains strong and significant.”

Highlights of the TV Animation Agreements include:

• Wage increases and benefit contribution rate improvements on par with the gains achieved in live action negotiations
• A 2.5 percent increase to minimums and .5 percent increase in the contribution rate to the SAG-Producers Pension Plan and AFTRA Retirement Fund effective Sept. 16, 2018
• A further 2.5 percent increase to minimums and .5 percent increase in the contribution rate to the SAG-Producers Pension Plan and AFTRA Retirement Fund effective Jan. 1, 2019
• A further 3 percent increase to minimums effective July 1, 2019, with the option to redirect .5 percent of that increase to the contribution rate to the SAG-Producers Pension Plan and AFTRA Retirement Fund
• The improved terms and conditions that were negotiated in 2017 for live action programs produced for subscription-based streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu will apply to animated programs produced for those platforms with some modifications

The TV Animation Agreements cover animated programs produced for television, including network television, basic cable and streaming platforms such as Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Prime. The new deal will continue through June 30, 2020. 

Formal negotiations between the SAG-AFTRA Negotiating Committee and the AMPTP began on October 30, 2017, in Los Angeles and concluded on September 19, 2018. The SAG-AFTRA National Board unanimously approved the tentative agreement at its October 20 meeting.

About SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at SAGAFTRA.org.