SAG-AFTRA Tells Members That Interim Agreements Are “Literally the Opposite of Waivers”

SAG-AFTRA has unpacked its position behind interim agreements, with leadership explaining they’re a critical part of its strategy to “undermine the production slates and timing of the AMPTP companies and ensure that they come back to the table.”

In a message to members sent on Wednesday, president Fran Drescher and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland say the agreements are designed to allow “journeymen performers and crew the opportunity to pay their bills” by working on independent productions and prove that the union’s proposed terms are reasonable.

“Our interim agreements are quite literally the opposite of ‘waivers,’” reads the message. “There are no passes, exceptions or exemptions being given to anyone. Productions must agree to all our terms or that work is struck.”

Drescher and Crabtree-Ireland detail that the approach “maintains our strength, solidarity and upper hand with the AMPTP until they yield to our deal.” They add, “These interim agreements demonstrate that the terms we proposed to the AMPTP are not ‘unrealistic.’ They are fair. And if these independent productions are able to agree to them, then the billion- and trillion-dollar companies should be able to as well!”

Roughly 140 productions have been granted interim agreements, like Kevin Costner-produced The Gray House, Ishana Night Shyamalan’s The Watchers, and A24’s Death of a Unicorn. They allow independently financed films to proceed if they comply with SAG-AFTRA’s terms. But indie producers have also had questions about who qualifies since the agreements have been issued.

The terms of the agreement productions must comply with include an 11 percent raise 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, among others.

To qualify, the union must be able to determine that a production is “truly independently produced.” A variety of factors go into the analysis, including if there are foreign unions or local labor laws involved.

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