The ATA also wants agencies to have longer contract terms with actors and to be able to take commissions on certain portions of actors' income that are now exempt. SAG, on the other hand, wants agents to become more active in helping the guild achieve its long-terms goals such as combating runaway production, organizing nonunion employers and promoting more employment diversity for actors. SAG also wants agents to give up commissions on money paid to TV guest stars if that commission would reduce the actors' net pay below scale, and to give actors greater protection in the event the agency goes bankrupt. On another front, SAG will be sending ballots to its members Friday so that they can vote on a new contract with the advertising industry. The deal, which ended a six-month strike, has been approved by the SAG board but must be formally ratified by the union's members.
Ratification is considered a fait accompli.
Ballots must be returned no later than Dec. 1.