SAG-AFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, has recently explained its position on interim agreements and their importance in their overall strategy. In a message to its members, President Fran Drescher and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland highlighted that these agreements play a critical role in undermining the production schedules and timing of the companies represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The aim is to force these companies to return to the negotiation table and engage in meaningful discussions with the union.
The purpose of these interim agreements is twofold. Firstly, they provide an opportunity for journeyman performers and crew members to continue working and earn a living by participating in independent productions. This is especially important considering the challenges faced by many workers in the entertainment industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, these agreements serve to demonstrate that SAG-AFTRA’s proposed terms are reasonable and fair. By securing compliance with these terms from independent productions, the union aims to show that billion- and trillion-dollar companies represented by the AMPTP should be able to agree to these terms as well.
It is important to note that these interim agreements are not waivers or exemptions granted to productions. Rather, they require productions to agree to all of SAG-AFTRA’s terms in order to proceed with their projects. In other words, if a production does not agree to the union’s terms, work on that production will cease. This approach allows SAG-AFTRA to maintain its strength, solidarity, and upper hand with the AMPTP until the desired deal is reached.
So far, approximately 140 productions have been granted interim agreements. These include notable projects such as the Kevin Costner-produced film “The Gray House,” Ishana Night Shyamalan’s “The Watchers,” and A24’s “Death of a Unicorn.” These independently financed films are allowed to proceed as long as they comply with SAG-AFTRA’s terms.
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However, there have been questions raised by indie producers regarding who qualifies for these agreements. SAG-AFTRA aims to determine whether a production is genuinely independently produced in order for it to receive the benefits of an interim agreement. Factors such as the involvement of foreign unions or compliance with local labor laws are taken into consideration during this analysis.
The terms that productions must comply with under these agreements include an 11 percent increase in the minimum pay for actors, increased contributions to health and pension funds, demands for revenue sharing, and guidelines around the use of artificial intelligence. These terms reflect the union’s efforts to protect and advance the rights and welfare of its members.
By utilizing interim agreements, SAG-AFTRA is strategically exerting pressure on the AMPTP and its member companies. The union aims to create a favorable bargaining position and compel these companies to accept its proposed terms. The success of these interim agreements further strengthens SAG-AFTRA’s bargaining power by showcasing that its terms are not unreasonable but rather fair and necessary for the industry.
In conclusion, SAG-AFTRA’s interim agreements are a crucial component of its negotiation strategy. They not only provide financial opportunities for performers and crew members but also serve as a demonstration of the reasonableness of the union’s proposed terms. With a significant number of productions already benefiting from these agreements, SAG-AFTRA continues to assert its strength and solidarity with the aim of achieving a fair deal with the AMPTP.
