Directors Guild of America President Thomas Schlamme today announced that the DGA membership has voted by an overwhelming margin to ratify the new collective bargaining agreements between the DGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
“I am proud to report that our membership overwhelmingly voted to ratify the new contract. In a time of enormous uncertainty as we’re all feeling the weight of this current pandemic, it is at least reassuring for our members to know that when the industry resumes production, a strong new agreement awaits them,” said Schlamme. “The agreement contains important gains in key areas, including dramatic improvements in SVOD residuals and coverage; a significant increase in funding for our Pension Plan to secure our retirement promises now and into the future; healthy wage increases; and significant wins in television creative rights. This was a complex negotiation, and our thanks go to our Negotiating Committee, led by Negotiations Co-Chairs Jon Avnet and Todd Holland, our National Executive Director Russell Hollander, and our excellent professional staff.”
Formal negotiations with the AMPTP began on Monday, February 10, and concluded on March 4. Talks were led by Negotiations Committee Co-Chairs Jon Avnet and Todd Holland and the DGA’s chief negotiator, National Executive Director Russell Hollander. Television Creative Rights Negotiations were chaired by Paris Barclay and co-chaired by Matthew Penn. On March 7, the DGA’s National Board of Directors unanimously recommended sending the contract to members for ratification. Ratification voting opened on March 11, and the results were tallied last night.
Gains include: significant increases in residuals for members working on original SVOD series, and structural changes maximizing the number of SVOD productions subject to the terms of the new agreement; increases in employer contributions to the pension plan; annual wage increases (2.5% in the first year, 3% in the second and third); significant gains in television creative rights; and important commitments with respect to diversity and inclusion. The new agreement also includes advances for members working in non-dramatic programming, safety, as well as a number of other improvements.
The new contract’s three-year term will take effect on July 1, 2020 and will run through June 30, 2023.
