The Directors Guild of America today announced that the national board of directors has approved a tentative new national commercial contract to be sent to the membership for ratification.
The agreement covers a three-year term from Dec. 1, 2011 through Nov. 30, 2014 and addresses wage increases (2% per year, plus a wage increase of 15.8% for 2nd assistant directors in the first year of the contract); health coverage (including a 17.65% increase in the employer contribution rate for all members plus additional contributions for directors); and the global marketplace for commercials (giving producers additional flexibility to compete for jobs outside of North America while preserving existing employment opportunities for 1st assistant directors).
Negotiations took place during three separate periods over the past few months with the Association of Independent Commercial Producers, (AICP) and were led by associate national executive director/eastern executive director Russ Hollander and a negotiations committee made up of DGA members. Negotiations concluded last month and the Memorandum of Agreement was signed earlier this month. The board voted unanimously at its regularly scheduled board meeting on Saturday to send the contract to the membership.
“Thanks to the dedication and hard work of the commercial negotiations committee, led by Russ Hollander, we have achieved a solid contract that will support our members working in commercials and will help keep this sector of our business healthy and productive,” said Taylor Hackford, president of the DGA.
“Commercials represent one of the steadiest areas of work for our members, and we are pleased that the new agreement will keep our members working, secure their healthcare benefits and allow producers the flexibility they need to keep this industry vibrant and competitive,” said Hollander.
“We entered into negotiations realizing that in this changing world there are challenges to the memberships of both the AICP and DGA,” said Matt Miller, president and CEO of AICP who acted as chief negotiator for the association’s labor committee. “Together we were able, through frank discussions, to reach an agreement that helps us each address issues that will benefit our mutual constituencies and in turn the industry as a whole.”
The ratification materials will be sent to the membership within the coming days and will be due back before the end of the year.
