SAG-AFTRA and advertisers have once again decided to extend the expiration date of their current contracts as they hash out successor agreements.
The performers’ union and the Joint Policy Committee, which bargains on behalf of advertisers and advertising agencies, together pushed the conclusion of their current deals through April 11. The deals had previously been set to expire by the end of the day on Friday.
The union explained on Friday that the move was intended “to facilitate the continuation of productive negotiations,” perhaps nodding to the fact that if the parties kept negotiating under an expired contract, SAG-AFTRA could threaten a potential strike.
The move comes as the production of commercials, long a crucial source of employment for industry workers, is lagging in L.A. compared with recent years. An overall downturn in production work in the region has sparked the “Stay in L.A.” movement, aimed at supporting favorable tax incentive legislation and persuading major studios to keep more of their work in the entertainment industry’s historic home.
On-location commercials work ticked up slightly in the final quarter of 2024 but was down about 33 percent compared with its five-year average, according to the latest report from FilmLA.
Negotiations over the union’s commercial contracts began on Feb. 20, with both parties keeping their priorities for the negotiations close to the vest amid a media blackout. The expiration dates for the current commercial contracts were initially extended on Monday, allowing union performers to continue working under their provisions as bargaining continued.
SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland is leading the negotiations for the union, while DLA Piper partner Stacy Marcus is representing the Joint Policy Committee.