The DGA National Board Unanimously Approves New Agreement With the AMPTP

With the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike still ongoing and potential actors strike looming, the Directors Guild of America (DGA) announced on Tuesday (June 6) the unanimous approval by the DGA's National Board to approve and recommend for ratification a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter announced the news during Tuesday's guild's special meeting. President Glatter said in a statement that the guild needs the new agreement to adapt to the "rapidly changing and expanding" entertainment industry, adding that the new contract breaks "new ground" and will protect the organization's 19,000 directors and directorial team members. Members of the DGA include such esteemed directors as Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight," "Oppenheimer") and Steven Spielberg ("West Side Story," "Schindler's List").

President Glatter stated, "Along with the rest of the DGA National Board, I am proud to enthusiastically recommend this tentative agreement to our members for ratification. Together, we will secure the future we deserve."

Per the DGA's press release, the tentative agreement with the AMPTP offers "significant improvements" for all members in "all categories," including extensive advances on wages, global streaming residuals, safety, diversity, and creative rights. Additionally, the contract is stated to have minimum terms and conditions in two new areas, non-dramatic programs made for Streaming Video On Deman (SVOD) and high-budget Advertising-based Video On Demand (AVOD).

The new deal also includes new provisions confirming that generative AI, which has become a hot topic as of late in the industry, cannot replace the duties performed by DGA members. Generative AI is also among one the major discussion points for the WGA, currently on strike against the AMPTP, and the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), which is expected to begin negotiations with the AMPTP this week.

President Glatter also expressed the guild's unity and support for SAG-AFTRA and the WGA in their continued efforts, noting that they "stand firmly" with them in their "shared fight for a vibrant, sustainable industry that fairly values us all." The next step is for the DGA members to vote to ratify the new agreement. A ballot and ratification materials will be sent to active members later this week. The current DGA contract with the AMPTP will expire on June 30.

As previously reported by The Blast, SAG-AFTRA's members voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike authorization. This allows the union's National Board to authorize a labor strike if a new agreement is not reached by the upcoming deadline of June 30. After that time, SAG-AFTRA could begin a labor strike as early as July 1, potentially joining the striking WGA against the AMPTP. This could halt all active film and television productions, depending on their current phase of production, in the industry if a new agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP is not made by June 30.

The WGA began its strike against the AMPTP on May 2, and it's currently still ongoing. Several significant productions have already halted or been paused until the strike issues are resolved.