Screen Actors Guild Members Appear in “I’m voting YES" Video

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD MEMBERS APPEAR IN “I’M VOTING YES” VIDEO
Members Encourage Solidarity on Tentative TV/Theatrical Agreement, Ballots Mail Tuesday

Los Angeles (May 18, 2009) — Thirty four members of Screen Actors Guild appear in the new online video “I’m Voting Yes,” showing their support of the tentative agreement reached between SAG and the AMPTP for television programs, motion pictures and new media formats. Actors such as Adam Arkin, Amy Brenneman, New York SAG President Sam Freed, Jack Coleman, Kate Walsh and Ed Begley, Jr. are asking fellow SAG members to join them in solidarity.

“We’ve got to have a contract that give us what actors need,” Walsh says in the video. “It increases our pay and residuals across the board,” says actress Gabrielle Carteris. “And it gives us increased pension and health contributions,” adds Begley. “Everyone knows how important that is.”

“I’m Voting Yes” can be viewed on the SAG home page, or embedded from YouTube, and features the following 34 actors, all strongly in support of a yes vote on the tentative TV/Theatrical agreement: Adam Arkin, Dylan Baker, Mark Linn Baker, Ed Begley, Jr., Amy Brenneman, David Brisbin, Gabrielle Carteris, Assaf Cohen, Jack Coleman, Stephen Collins, Ellen Crawford, Ashley Crowe, Kate Flannery, Sam Freed, Jason George, Mike Genovese, Joe Grifasi, Arye Gross, Mike Hodge, Judith Hoag, Ken Howard, Gregory Itzen, John Kassir, Thomas Kopache, Clyde Kusatsu, James LeGros, Robert Pine, John Rothman, Mitch Ryan, Chris Sarandon, Rafael Sbarge, Matt Servito, Richard Speight, and Kate Walsh.

Ballots for the tentative deal mail on Tuesday, May 19. The SAG National Board of Directors and negotiating team recommend members vote yes on this contract. Completed ballots must be received at the assigned post office box no later than 5 p.m. (PDT), June 9, 2009. Member informational meetings are taking place in Hollywood May 21, New York June 1, and on various dates at SAG branch offices across the country.

The two-year TV/theatrical agreement includes an immediate increase in wages of 3%, followed by another 3.5% increase next year. Negotiators also achieved an additional .5% in pension contributions, raising the total pension and health producer contribution to 15%. Background actor’s jobs will go from 19 to 20 in television in the Western Zone, and up to 55 from 50 in motion pictures. The tentative contract also establishes rates and working conditions for new media platforms, including provisions for residuals in made-for-new media programs, and residuals for streaming and downloading of features and television shows. 

Additional information can be found online at the SAG Contract Center, or email questions to contract2009@sag.org

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About SAG
Screen Actors Guild is the nation’s largest labor union representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement, from standing up to studios to break long-term engagement contracts in the 1940s to fighting for artists’ rights amid the digital revolution sweeping the entertainment industry in the 21st century. With 20 branches nationwide, SAG represents nearly 120,000 actors who work in film, television, industrials, commercials, video games, music videos and other new media. The Guild exists to enhance actors’ working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists’ rights. SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO. Headquartered in Los Angeles, you can visit SAG online at www.sag.org.

Contact:
Pamela Greenwalt                                                        
(323)549-6872                                                     
pgreenwalt@sag.org

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