SAG-AFTRA’s pledge to increase efforts in enforcing the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract and the Radio Recorded Commercials Contract was on full display with its latest Member Alert to organize Droga5, a non-signatory ad agency. Indeed, the October 12, 2015 alert to union membership was a true call to action: “Now is the time for action. . .SAG-AFTRA will not stand by while agencies undermine wages and benefits while profiting off of professional talent.” With a new round of union negotiations quickly approaching, it is no surprise that SAG-AFTRA has ramped up its scrutiny of non-signatories who attempt to produce non-union commercials or to employ union performers through a third-party “shell company” to produce their union spots. This, the union claims, is just one of many steps in its campaign to combat similar misconduct.
Continue Reading BULLETIN: SAG-AFTRA ISSUES MEMBER ALERT TO ORGANIZE DROGA5

After conclusion of the 2013 Commercials Contracts negotiations and subsequent ratification, several issues came under review by the JPC and SAG-AFTRA that warranted further discussion and clarification.

(Those issues were previously outlined in 4A’s Bulletin # 7545JPC, dated 8/6/13.)

The JPC and SAG-AFTRA have reached final agreement on these outstanding items. Download a copy of the joint JPC/SAG-AFTRA memorandum for further information.
Continue Reading SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract – Clarifications

SAG-AFTRA and the Tribune Company have come to an agreement on residual payments to be made under the 2013 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract for commercials airing on Antenna TV and THIS TV.

The payment structure is the same as the terms applicable to payments for commercials aired on PAX/ION, BounceTV and MeTV.
Continue Reading SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract – Residual Payments for THIS TV and Antenna TV

Special provisions for payment for drivers who are employed to provide services for “running footage” or “wild footage” for motor vehicle commercials have been in existence since 1992.

Download an updated joint JPC/SAG-AFTRA bulletin, providing a recap of those provisions, which have been updated to reflect the current on-camera principal rate and the current number of extra zones.
Continue Reading SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract – Update on Running Footage: Drivers

The SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts mandate that all commercials produced under those Contracts for television, radio, Internet and New Media must use Ad-ID as the sole standard commercial identifier. The grace period to adopt Ad-ID ends on March 31, 2014.

Time to transition is running out. You must complete the transition fully before the deadline to avoid noncompliance. Some companies have asked the JPC what they should do to ensure that they are compliant.
Continue Reading JPC Reminder: Ad-ID Compliance – SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts – NLT 3-31-14

This bulletin outlines several areas where the JPC disagrees with the Union’s interpretation of the 2013 Commercials Contract provisions. The JPC and the Union are working to resolve their differences. In the interim, please notify the JPC by emailing Stacy Marcus at smarcus@reedsmith.com in the event that you receive a claim from the Union regarding any of the issues outlined in the bulletin.
Continue Reading JPC Bulletin re SAG-AFTRA Interpretations of 2013 Commercials Contract Provisions

On Wednesday, July 10, 2013, the ANA-4A’s JPC will be conducting an in-person seminar in Boston to review the new provisions of the SAG-AFTRA 2013-2016 Commercials Contracts. This will be the last in the current series of regional JPC seminars regarding the new provisions. Stacy Marcus, Legal Counsel to the JPC will be leading the discussion. This seminar is open to all industry members and is geared to those industry professionals involved in paying actors under the collective bargaining agreements.
Continue Reading Reminder: Joint Policy Committee Seminar – July 10

On Wednesday, July 10, 2013, the ANA-4A’s JPC will be conducting an in-person seminar in Boston to review the new provisions of the SAG-AFTRA 2013-2016 Commercials Contracts. This will be the last in the current series of regional JPC seminars regarding the new provisions. Stacy Marcus, Legal Counsel to the JPC will be leading the discussion. This seminar is open to all industry members and is geared to those industry professionals involved in paying actors under the collective bargaining agreements.
Continue Reading Joint Policy Committee Seminar Hosted by Talent Partners