SAG-AFTRA and the Joint Policy Committee (JPC) have reached a tentative agreement on terms for successor agreements to the television and radio commercials contracts, subject to approval by the SAG-AFTRA National Board of Directors later this month.
The tentative agreements will be submitted to the SAG-AFTRA National Board of Directors for approval at its April 20-21 meeting. No details of the package will be released in advance of the Board’s review. Upon approval by the Board, the package will be sent to the membership for ratification thereafter.
Formal negotiations between the 34-member (26 seated members and 8 alternates) SAG-AFTRA Negotiating Committee and the ad industry’s JPC began February 14 and concluded April 6, at 1:49 a.m. EDT, in New York.
Both parties recognized the positive and productive results of this negotiation and highlighted their joint commitment to grow the work for performers under these contracts while further strengthening the industry.
“We’ve made essential gains for SAG-AFTRA members and I couldn’t be more pleased. These contracts provide our members with the solid foundation they need to sustain their careers and families,” said SAG-AFTRA National Co-President and Negotiating Committee National Chair Roberta Reardon. “I am very grateful to our negotiating committee which came together and worked as one to ensure a strong contract for their sisters and brothers who work in the commercials area.”
“These negotiations have been a positive and productive continuation of our longtime partnership with commercial performers and their representatives. I am pleased to have achieved these important industry gains in key areas and I want to thank my colleague and JPC Counsel Stacy Marcus and the other members of our negotiating team. I look forward to the approval of the SAG-AFTRA Board and ratification by their membership,” said Joint Policy Committee Lead Negotiator Douglas J. Wood.
The JPC was represented by Wood, Marcus, David Weissman with Reed Smith LLP, Linda Bennett with Saatchi & Saatchi, Kim Stevens with Arnold Worldwide, and Kathleen Quinn with the 4A’s.
SAG-AFTRA was represented by Reardon, White, Negotiating Committee Vice Chairs Sue-Anne Morrow, Allen Lulu, Ilyssa Fradin, and David Hartley Margolin, Co-Lead Negotiators Ray Rodriguez and Mathis Dunn, and Senior Advisor John McGuire.
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More