Actors ratify new three-year contract
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Members of Hollywood’s two actors’ unions voted to overwhelmingly support a new three-year contract that provides modest pay raises and higher contributions to their health and pension plans.
The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Friday night that the film and TV contract was approved by a 94%-to-6% margin in a national vote, a strong endorsement of an agreement the unions reached with the studios in November after negotiations began Sept. 27, nearly nine months before the current contract expires.
About a quarter of the 137,437 members who received ballots cast their votes.
The ratification was widely expected and echoed a similar show of support from the boards of both unions last month. The contract provides 2% annual pay raises and a 10% increase in the rate of employer contributions to the unions’ health and pension plans, a top priority for the unions. The new agreement takes effect July 1.
-- Richard Verrier
