Exciting news! The ratification of the new DGA film and TV contract is now underway and members have already received their ballots. Along with the memorandum of agreement, an executive summary of the new deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was also sent out. The tentative agreement was approved by the DGA national board, who unanimously recommended that members ratify it. Voting must be completed by June 23rd.
DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter shared some of the significant advancements that were won in this new agreement, including essential protections regarding AI, terms and conditions in non-dramatic SVOD programs, high-budget AVOD programs, Feature Director compensation for ‘soft prep,’ expanded paid post-production for Episodic Directors, a new foreign streaming residuals structure based on subscribers, and banning live ammunition on sets. Plus, there were critical improvements in wages, streaming residuals, safety, diversity, and additional creative rights gains. The breadth and depth of the achievements made in this agreement provide significant new benefits for members in every category.
To make things even better, there are increased Studio transparency in residuals reporting that will result in greater enforcement and larger residual payments, improvements in diversity and inclusion, and Juneteenth has been added as a paid holiday. Members will receive a chart and an executive summary that contains all the key deal points.
The negotiations were a year and a half in the making and involved an extraordinary team of Negotiations Chair Jon Avnet and Co-chairs Karen Gaviola and Todd Holland, National Executive Director Russell Hollander, and the Negotiations Committee, made up of more than 80 members representing all categories. Creative Rights Chairs Thomas Schlamme and Nicole Kassell also put in heroic efforts to further the creative rights for television directors. The dedication of everyone involved has resulted in an excellent new contract for all DGA members.
Meetings will be scheduled for members to find out more about the new agreement and ask questions. This ballot represents your highest responsibility as a Guild member and the core of why the Guild has existed and remained strong for almost 90 years – to protect your economic and creative rights and freedoms. The Negotiations Committee and the Guild’s National Board unanimously – and enthusiastically – recommend that you vote YES for ratification of the Agreements. Don’t forget to cast your vote by June 23rd!
