It’s Over

Screen Actors Guild members have agreed to the new contract between SAG and AMPTP, ending a months-long battle over terms. Said the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, “The ratification vote by SAG members is good news for the entertainment industry. This concludes a two-year negotiating process that has resulted in agreements with all major Hollywood Guilds and Unions. We look forward to working with SAG members – and with everyone else in our industry – to emerge from today’s significant economic challenges with a strong and growing business.”

SAG announced, “[M]embers have voted overwhelmingly to approve its TV/Theatrical contracts by a vote of 78 percent to 22 percent.

The two-year successor agreement covers film and digital television programs, motion pictures and new media productions. The pact becomes effective at 12:01 a.m. June 10, 2009 and expires June 30, 2011.

The contracts provide more than $105 million in wages, increased pension contributions, and other gains and establishes a template for SAG coverage of new media formats.”

The SAG website also provides comments from SAG members, including Tony Shalhoub (Monk) and Stephen Collins.