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DGA Magazine VOL 28-3: September 2003

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DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth
explains the deal to the National Board.
On January 27, 2008, the DGA’s National Board of Directors voted unanimously to recommend ratification of the new three-year collective bargaining agreements between the DGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

The vote followed the reports to the Board of the recently agreed-upon terms of the new contracts by Negotiations Committee Chair Gil Cates and DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth. The vote took place at the Board’s regularly scheduled meeting at the Guild’s Los Angeles headquarters.

Ratification ballots were sent to the membership on January 28, 2008 and were due by February 20, 2008.

(For ratification results, which were not final as of press time, click here or see related items at the bottom of this page.)
Highlights from the Recent Member Contract Ratification Letter by President Michael Apted

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DGA National Vice-President
Steven Soderbergh and DGA President
Michael Apted attend Board meeting
“We entered into these negotiations guided by three primary goals. First, jurisdiction in new media is essential. Second, the Internet is not free, and our members must be compensated for the use and reuse of their work in new media. Our third goal concerned securing substantial gains on issues of real importance for our work in traditional media. We prevailed in securing these three goals. If we hadn’t, we would not have made a deal.

You’ve heard a lot about the first two goals because they have garnered the lion’s share of press and public attention. But for all the attention on the subject of new media, what we achieved with this contract concerns a lot more than just that. Our extensive research showed us that it may be a long time before new media has any significant impact on our pocketbooks. In the meantime, we never took our eyes off of the solid gains we wanted to achieve for our members today: higher wages; higher residual bases; a better deal in basic cable; a more secure health plan; a solution to some age-old problems affecting our ADs and UPMs; and many other changes that will improve our working conditions.

The road to this new agreement was lengthy and difficult. It involved two years of painstaking research and countless meetings where we sought the input of our Negotiations Committee and our fellow DGA members. Throughout the process, we were guided by the knowledge that negotiations are not just about what you want; they are also about what the other side is capable of giving. One ignores this reality at one’s peril. Our negotiators did not, and as a result they were able to come away with a very good deal indeed.

As you know from my earlier letters, we entered negotiations with one overarching goal in mind – getting the best possible deal for our members. I think we have done just that. I am proud to present this deal to you for your approval.”

Sincerely,

Michael Apted
DGA President


Agreement Highlights:

  • Annual wage increases.
  • Annual residual base increases.
  • Outsized increase in director’s compensation on high budget basic cable dramatic programs.
  • Series of important gains that solve long-standing issues for members in AD/UPM and AD/SM categories, including:
    • Confirms the existing practice of employing Second Assistant Directors to manage locations in New York and Chicago. This resolves a 40-year issue.
    • Establishes a wrap supervision allowance of $50/day for the Second Assistant Director who supervises wrap on local and distant locations.
    • Increases incidental fees and dinner allowances for Unit Production Managers and Assistant Directors.
  • Continuation of specially-negotiated 8.5% employer health care contribution rate, first established in 2005 Basic Agreement. Provisions permitting a decrease in this contribution by employers removed.
  • Jurisdiction over new media for both derivative and original productions.
  • Doubling of residual rate for electronic sell-through.
  • First-ever codified residual for ad-supported streaming of television and theatrical films.
  • Reaffirms 2001 Internet Sideletter for paid streaming and “download to rent.”
  • Establishes distributor’s gross as basis for all new media residual payments.
  • Establishes mechanism for unfettered access to the companies’ new media distribution deals and data. Sunset provision to allow us to revisit new media when contract expires.

Members can also review all negotiations materials sent over the last few months, including contract summaries, at the Members Only section of www.dga.org.
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