HOLLYWOOD : Unions Approve 3-Year Film, Television Contract

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have given their overwhelming approval to a new three-year film and television contract with producers. A total of 28,390 members--or 91%--approved the contract, while 2,739 voted against it.

The new contract, which takes effect July 1, provides a 12.5% increase in minimum wages for principal performers over the next three years, raising daily film and TV scale to $466, plus meal and travel allowances.

The contract also provides improved affirmative action language covering age, disability and sexual preference, and establishes a $1-million annual fund financed by producer contributions for equal employment activities, training and retraining, immigration and other issues.

In return, the unions agreed to adjustments in residual payments for one-hour programs in the depressed syndication and late-night markets.

During the negotiations, SAG won jurisdiction over screen extras, bringing an end to the 47-year-old Screen Extras Guild. But the new contract generated protests when union extras learned that their daily West Coast pay scale would be cut from about $86 to $65.