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Summary of 2024 Tentative Agreement

Updated: Aug 4, 2024

Don't forget voting opens July 14, 2024!


This is a summary of the 2024 tentative basic agreement. If you would prefer to watch or listen, we have a YouTube video of the summary.


Table of Contents:


Terms & Wages

Basic Agreement

  • Year One: 7% increase (Effective August 1, 2024)

  • Year Two: 4% increase (Effective August 1, 2025)

  • Year Three: 3.5 increase (Effective August 1, 2026)


Video Tape Agreement

  • Year One: 7% increase (Effective September 1, 2024)

  • Year Two: 4% increase (Effective September 1, 2025)

  • Year Three: 3.5 increase (Effective September 1, 2026)



Overtime

There are monetary penalties after working 15 hours.

  • Hourly rate is 3x after 15 hours on the first five days

  • Hourly rate is 4.5x after 15 hours on the 6th day

  • Hourly rate is 6x after 15 hours on the 7th day


Travel

  • Pension and Health contributions for travel days – based on the employee’s actual travel time on such days, with a minimum of four (4) hours and a maximum of eight (8) hours. (Basic, VTSA, and Publicists Agreements).

  • Transportation allowance will now be paid when required to report to a location in the secondary zone



Funding Pension & Health Plans

PRODUCER CONTRIBUTIONS

  • Producers will contribute additional $1.09/hour to Active Health Plan

    • The Producers will contribute an additional $1.09 per hour to the Active Health Plan in year one of the Agreement (The “Basic Rate”).

  • Producers who pay “Basic Rate” will contribute additional amount per hour

    • Producers who pay the “Basic Rate” will contribute an additional $.30 per hour in year one and an additional $.45 per hour in each of years two and three.

  • Producers who do not contribute $15 mil, shall contribute additional amount per hour

    • For those Producers which do not contribute $15 million in residuals during the term of the Agreement, excluding shops, facilities and other select entities, shall contribute an additional $.56 per hour in year one, and an additional $.86 per hour in each of years two and three


RESIDUALS

  • New Primary Market Residual to Fund MPI Health & Pension Plans

    • A primary market residual for High Budget Subscription Video On Demand dramatic streaming productions.

  • If HBSVOD airs on certain platforms past initial 90 days, Producer pays % of Gross Reciepts

    • Secondary Market Residual – If a HBSVOD program airs on Advertiser supported Video On Demand (AVOD), free to the consumer on advertiser-supported TV (FAST), free TV or basic cable beyond the initial 90-day period, then the Producer pays a percentage of Producers’ total gross receipts derived from distribution of product.

  • If HBSVOD achieves threshold of views, Producer pays 100% of Primary Market Residual to MPI Pension Plan

    • Performance-Metric Bonus Residual: Producer shall pay 100% of the Primary Market residual to the MPI Pension Plan if a High Budget Subscription Video On Demand (HBSVOD) program achieves a certain threshold of views on the SVOD platform.


Improved Benefits

RETIREES

  • Those retired prior to August 1, 2009 will receive 13th and 14th checks.

  • One-time payment equivalent to the value of one additional monthly check to those retirees who retired prior to January 1, 2025, and who were employed under the Basic Agreement or Videotape Agreement.


PENSION PLAN ACCRUAL RATE

  • Pension Plan accrual rate increase to 15% under specific terms


BEREAVEMENT LEAVE

  • For the first time, regularly scheduled employee shall be provided three (3) days of paid Bereavement Leave for the death of a family member. The employee shall not be replaced due to accessing Bereavement Leave, although an episode of a production may be completed for continuity before the employee is brought back to the job.


BENEFITS & 2023

  • For 2023, a “qualified year” of vacation accrual will be triggered with 40 days of work within that year (reduced from 100 days of work).

  • No participant shall incur a Break in Service for pension plan year 2023 due to reduction of employment in 2023

  • All participants with 65 or more hours in 2023 shall be credited with a vested pension year.

SICK LEAVE

  • More sick leave days – increase to a maximum to 80 hours or 10 sick days (previously 48 hours or 6 sick days) - effective January 1, 2025

  • Increased sick leave bank – 40 hours or 5 days of sick leave per year (previously 24 hours or 3 days) - effective January 1, 2025

  • Access accrued sick leave sooner – Lower the eligibility threshold for sick leave to 45 days of employment (previously 90 day) - effective January 1, 2025


DENTAL PLAN MAXIMUM INCREASED

  • Dental Plan Maximum benefit increased to $2,500 (previously $2,000)

SEVERANCE PAY

  • Severance Pay for those with 12 or more qualified years will receive an additional 25% of the applicable severance pay.

  • The definition of a “qualified year” for purposes of Severance Pay shall be eased for 2023 (an employee only needs to have worked 94 days in 2023)

  • Easier to qualify for Severance Pay - a “qualified year” will be triggered after 170 days of work required (previously 200 days)

OTHER

  • The Union and AMPTP agree to recommend to the Trustees of the MPI Pension and Health Plans that a 401(k) plan be created which will be funded from voluntary contributions by employees.

  • No increase to health care coverage costs or prescription payments

  • No cuts to health benefits


Holidays

JUNETEENTH RECOGNIZED

  • Juneteenth added as holiday 


UNWORKED HOLIDAYS & VACATION PAY

  • Unworked holiday percentage increases from 4% to 4.583% beginning January 1, 2025.

  • Basic cable programs unworked holiday and vacation pay is improved as paid for network Series

  • 50% will be paid in season two (previously 0%)

  • 100% in season three (previously 50%)

  • Network, Pay TV, and streaming mini-series unworked holiday pay will increase 50%.


Safety Improvements

SAFETY OFFICER PILOT PROGRAM EXPANSION

  • A Safety Officer Pilot Program shall be expanded, modeled on the CA tax incentive legislation: From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, in NY and GA, a dedicated, qualified Safety Officer (who shall create a risk assessment for the production) shall be present on the set of one feature length dramatic production per major studio.


BETTER COURTESY HOUSING & ROUNDTRIP RIDE PROVISIONS

  • Name and contact information for person coordinating rides and rooms must be included on call sheets

  • The Producer will reserve a room for the length of turnaround or until call time, whichever is earlier.

  • Producer shall pay the full amount for the ride or room up front

  • The Producer will provide secure parking for employees’ vehicles for the entire time, not just the workday


REST PERIOD PENALTY (AKA TURNAROUND OR FORCED CALL)

  • A minimum of one-half hour of double time shall be paid for the initial invasion of the daily and weekend rest periods. Thereafter, the double time invasion will be paid in one-tenth hour increments. 



VTA Improvements

WORKING CONDITIONS, WAGES & HOURS

  • New series and seasons of one-half hour single camera prime time dramatic television shall receive working conditions, wages, and hours per the Basic Agreement. 

  • Streaming non-dramatic shows will now receive working conditions, wages, and hours per the Videotape agreement (before, everything was as negotiated).


INCREASED RATES

  • Increased rates for new series or seasons of many reality shows by an additional 3% in year one, an additional 3% in year two and a move to the full 15a wage schedule in year 3. 


ENSURE CAMERA OPERATOR SAFETY

  • New contract language: the Producer will take steps to ensure that the Camera Operator can move safely, including, if necessary, utilizing a spotter, when executing a tracking shot while supporting a weighted load.


Artificial Intelligence

CLEARER DEFINITIONS

  • Clear definitions for A.I. technology (“AI Systems”)

  • If A.I. tools are assigned to an employee, that shall be covered by the agreement


COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP WORK TRAINING PROGRAM

  • Committee will be formed to develop work training program to use AI Systems


EXPECTATIONS OF EMPLOYEES & AI

  • Employee is not required to provide prompts in any manner that results in the displacement of any covered employee.

  • An employee may request a consultation with the Producer regarding the use of AI Systems and a Producer can reject the use of AI Systems in an employee’s work.

  • If Employee uses on AI System, employee should negotiate kit fee

  • The Employer will indemnify employees from liability due to the use of A.I.

  • Clear and conspicuous consent to scanning which cannot be a condition of employment. 


MEETINGS WHEN REQUESTED

  • Quarterly meetings with individual companies and bi-annual joint industry-wide meetings when requested by the union.


Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

STRONGER PROTECTIONS FOR BROADER GROUP OF PEOPLE

  • New non-discrimination language that provides stronger protections for a broader group of people.


ELIMINATION OF GENDER SPECIFIC PRONOUNS

  • Elimination of gender-specific pronouns in the contract language.


Sideletter Changes & Improvements

EASIER TO LOCATE RATE, TERMS & CONDITIONS

  • All wages, terms and conditions will move into the body of the Agreement – except for Made for Home Video – so it’s easier to find your rate, terms and conditions.


STREAMING IMPROVEMENTS

  • Advertising-based video on demand (AVOD) and Free ad supported television (FAST) now have the same wages, terms and conditions as subscription video on demand (SVOD). Before they were as negotiated.

  • All High Budget SVOD, AVOD and FAST productions will be treated comparable to network television productions.


WAGE INCREASE - LONG-FORM/MOW RATE INCREASE, DEPENDING

  • The Long-Form/Movie of the Week rates have been increased up to 21%, depending on project and classification


WAGE INCREASE - NETWORK, PAY TV, AND STREAMING MINI-SERIES, DEPENDING

  • Network, pay TV, and streaming mini-series wages have been increased up to 30%, depending on project and classification. Formerly, it was MOW rates.


DOUBLE TIME AFTER 12 (SOMETIMES AFTER 14)

  • Double time will begin after twelve worked hours except where better conditions apply, replacing double time after fourteen (14) hours elapsed for certain pilots, Basic Cable season on, mini-series, network and Pay TV longform productions, and Mid and Low Budget streaming projects.


Local 600 Specifics

DP PAID WAGES WHEN PROVIDING SERVICES

  • The Director of Photography shall be paid wages and benefits when asked by the Producer to provide services as a consultant to the Timer when timing answer prints or digital intermediates after the negative is cut or color correcting motion pictures shot digitally or in connection with a video transfer. 


PRODUCER CANNOT REQUIRE DP TO OPERATE TO BE EMPLOYED

  • The Producer shall not require the Director of Photography to operate the camera as a condition of employment. 


RE-RATE PREVAILS AFTER 2 HOURS OF WORK

  • If the Producer temporarily upgrades an employee for two (2) hours or more in a classification higher than the classification under which the employee is called for work, the higher rate shall prevail for the entire workday. Operators will now be treated the same as all other Local 600 classifications and can negotiate their rates.


OVERTIME PROVISIONS ON 6TH DAY (DISTANT LOCATION)

  • Overtime provisions will now apply to a sixth (6th) day worked on a distant location.


AMENDMENT AGREEMENT

  • Rhode Island has been added to the Northeast corridor under the Amendment Agreement.


Local 600 Specifics (Publicists)

ON-CALL CLASSIFICATIONS PAID 2X ON 7TH DAY

  • When required by a producer, on-call classifications will now be paid double time for work on a seventh day in a work week.


GUARANTEED 2 WEEKS OF EMPLOYMENT AFTER PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY

  • Unit Publicists shall be guaranteed two (2) weeks of employment after the completion of principal photography to finish their work.


PENSION & HEALTH BENEFITS EXTENDED TO 20 STATES TOTAL

  • Unit Publicists employed directly by a signatory Producer will now receive pension and health benefits when asked to work in or travel from any of the ten (10) additional states within the United States bringing the total covered states to twenty (20).

Additional Provisions

CSATF TRAINING NOW $25/HOUR

  • Payment for CSATF Safety Pass training classes will increase to $25/hour (previously $20/hour)


BULLETINS

  • A bulletin will be distributed encouraging productions to utilize the applicable Local as a resource for qualified job applicants for non-rostered classifications.

  • A bulletin will be distributed to productions regarding appropriate heating and cooling options when possible, for on- and off-production locations.

  • An Industry Bulletin will be distributed reminding productions that grace ‘shall not be scheduled nor automatic nor is it intended for everyday use.’

  • Expanded expedited arbitration provisions

  • Producer will be required to notify the Union in advance if it intends to subcontract any work under this Agreement.


Concessions Agreed To

  • Producer-paid contributions to CSATF approved by the Union. 

  • Under the Videotape Agreement, when one camera is used on a non-studio or reality pick up on a non-dramatic program, the Director of Photography may operate when they request to do so, with the understanding that it is not a condition of employment and provided the Producer notifies the Union of the request.

  • Aligning with the other Unions and Guilds, streaming episodes can exceed their contractual length by up to three minutes without being considered to have exceeded their ‘program length.’ Agreed to by the tri-Guilds.


This is based off a summary and not contractual language. You can find the latest updates on IATSE's website: https://basic.iatse.net/



Disclaimer: FreeMe is not a legal firm and should not be relied on for legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Readers of this website should contact their attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter.

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