SAG-AFTRA and Advertisers Strike Tentative Deal on New Contracts

SAG-AFTRA and advertisers have reached a tentative agreement for successor commercial contracts.

“SAG-AFTRA and The Joint Policy Committee, LLC (JPC) have reached a tentative agreement on terms for successor Commercials and Audio Commercials Contracts, subject to approval by the SAG-AFTRA National Board, which will meet on April 26, and ratification by the membership. The specific details will not be released in advance of the board’s review,” the performers’ union wrote in a statement.

The tentative agreement — which covers actors’ and other performers’ work on ads — came after the two parties extended the expiration date on their previous contracts multiple times as they continued negotiations, allowing union performers to continue working.

SAG-AFTRA and the Joint Policy Committee, which bargains on behalf of advertisers and advertising agencies, had been in negotiations since Feb. 20. They initially extended the conclusion of their previous three-year contracts at the end of March but later pushed it through April 11.

Details of the tentative agreement have yet to be released publicly. The contract also still needs to be approved by the SAG-AFTRA National Board, which is set to meet on April 26, as well as a ratification vote by union members.

In recent years, the production of commercials in Los Angeles has been lagging, making it difficult for industry workers, as commercials have long been a significant source of employment for them. According to a recent report from FilmLA, on-location commercials work rose slightly in the final quarter of 2024 but was down about 33 percent compared with its five-year average.