On behalf of the SAG-AFTRA National Board and the National Commercials Contracts Negotiating Committee, the new 2025 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract and the 2025 SAG-AFTRA Audio Commercials Contract have been introduced. The three-year agreement totals $218.4 million in new earnings and benefit plan contributions, marking a substantial increase from the 2022 contract.
A notable update in the contracts is a significant emphasis on digital advertising. “To stay ahead of the curve of the transforming advertising industry, we supercharged digital,” the statement noted. Streaming use now offers a payment of $10,000 for one-year rights, a 33.33% increase from previous contracts. Additionally, there is a 12% pay increase for paid use on YouTube.com.
Wage growth has also been secured with a 5% increase in the first year, 4% in the second year, and 3% in the third year, leading to rates that are 12.5% higher than those in the previous contract. There have also been enhancements in pension and health funding, increasing from 20.5% to 23.5%, subject to a waiver reduction for JPC authorizers to 19.95%.
The contracts now have comprehensive A.I. protections, introducing the first restrictions on using performers’ work to train A.I. models. The definition of Digital Replicas has been expanded, introducing mandatory performer consent before any replica is created. Using a digital replica for performance will trigger a 1.5x session fee plus applicable fees.
In the Audio Commercials Contract, Traditional Digital and a new Digital Plus tier have been established, encompassing streaming platforms like Pandora and Spotify. The contracts now ensure that performers have a direct raise in rates when these digital categories are utilized.
The contracts were shaped with members’ input from wages and working conditions meetings, reflecting concerns on compensation and the impact of A.I. Following the SAG-AFTRA National Board meeting on April 27, an overwhelming approval for the deal was issued. The members will review the contracts, and voting instructions have been disseminated.
Informational meetings for members will be conducted online on May 1, May 5, May 6, and May 9, with voting ballots due by 5 p.m. PDT on May 21, 2025. To vote by paper, members can request a ballot package by calling Integrity Voting Systems by noon PDT on May 16, 2025. The negotiating team expressed pride in the outcome of the negotiations and encouraged members to vote in favor of the contracts.
The message was signed by Katie Von Till, Erin Fritch, and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.
