The TV/Theatricals Contracts Memorandum of Agreement is Available for Review

As you may know, traditionally SAG-AFTRA contract ratification votes rely on our detailed summaries of the new agreement, as the drafting of a formal memorandum of agreement (MOA)  usually takes many weeks. However, for this historic deal some members have asked to review the full draft MOA during the ratification voting period.  

I’m pleased to advise that the draft MOA containing detailed language on all of the changes in the 2023 TV/Theatrical Contracts tentative agreement has now been posted to sagaftra.org/contracts2023. Click here to view it.

These contracts achieve more than $1 billion in NEW compensation and benefit plan funding (including an additional $317.2 million to the benefit plans). The contracts establish lengthy and detailed AI guardrails that didn’t exist before and do protect you as we meet the challenge of this new technology, hair and makeup equity, significantly increased background coverage, outsized streaming residuals, a new streaming success fund, and so much more. These gains are only possible because of your sacrifice, solidarity and tenacity over the 118 days of the strike and are assured if you vote to ratify the agreement.

As you will see in the MOA, this is a draft document and is being provided to you for informational purposes only to assist your decision making during this ratification process.  The MOA  is not “final” until signed by both parties. 

As an additional reference to aid your review of this draft MOA, you may wish to refer to the contracts it modifies, builds upon and improves, specifically the 2014 Codified Basic Agreement and Television Agreement, both as amended by the 2017 and 2020 memorandum of agreements which followed. 

Please review these details closely to understand all of the meaningful improvements. Your National Board and Negotiating Committee both voted to approve and recommend a YES vote. To lock in these gains, you must vote to approve by 5 p.m. PT on Dec. 5, 2023. To register your vote, please visit vote.ivsballot.com/tvtheatrical2023 and use the PIN on the postcard that was mailed to eligible SAG-AFTRA members on Tuesday, Nov. 14 or if needed, your PIN can be retrieved from the voting website. 

And lastly, if you haven’t already, visit sagaftra.org/contracts2023, where you can watch videos of informational meetings, read FAQs and find many AI resources regarding the gains in this contract. 

In strength together,

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland

National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator