Under the extension, which was agreed to earlier this year, wages will increase 3% per year and health and retirement contributions will increase 0.5%. The nine employers that are party to the agreement are Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Take 2 Productions Inc., VoiceWorks Productions Inc. and WB Games Inc.
The Interactive Media Agreement Standing Committee, chaired by voice actor Keythe Farley, unanimously approved the contract extension, and it was subsequently unanimously approved by the Executive Committee, acting on behalf of the National Board. SAG-AFTRA Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez served as lead negotiator.
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with the employers. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the entertainment industry, but work on video games, much of which can be done remotely, has continued. This extension allows members to keep working and have some certainty during an uncertain time,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris.
“Rather than enter full-scale negotiations, the committee proposed extending the 2017 agreement. The compensation increases and benefit enhancements allow us to sustain the growth in earnings for members,” said Rodriguez.
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world.