Given the capacity crisis facing hospitals in Southern California due to the COVID pandemic and an expected increase in COVID cases after the vacation, SAG-AFTRA and organizations representing commercial advertisers and advertising agencies, as well as independent film and television producers, have reached an agreement Achieved via recommendation of a temporary agreement Stick to Southern California in-person production. The major studios and streamers in Southern California are on production break until mid-January.
The Joint Policy Committee, LLC (JPC) – the multi-employer negotiating group that represents commercial advertisers and advertising agencies – has agreed to suspend personal commercial production in the Southern California area until more hospital beds are available. The Producers’ Guild of America (PGA) is also encouraging its members to delay production and is making its own statement today.
“Southern California hospitals are facing a crisis like we have never seen before. Patients are dying in ambulances waiting for treatment because hospital emergency rooms are congested. This is currently not a safe environment for personal production,” said SAG -AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris.
“Even leaving aside the risk of acquiring COVID on set – a risk that our safety protocols have greatly mitigated by our safety protocols – there is always some risk of injury to production on set, be it from a stunt or equipment failure or one Decline in garden diversity. It is currently difficult to understand how a worker injured on the set should seek treatment because there are few or no hospital beds available, “said David White, National Executive Director of SAG-AFTRA. “I would like to thank the JPC and the PGA for their efforts to tighten security for everyone, and we recognize and appreciate the major studios and other producers who proactively increased and postponed their production during this emergency.”
SAG-AFTRA members in Southern California are encouraged to stay home for the next few weeks and not take any work on the set. In the event a SAG-AFTRA member from the Southern California area has to go to work for the next few weeks and has concerns about their safety on set, they will be encouraged to contact the union.
Stacy Marcus, chief negotiator for the GPA, agrees that the production risks in Southern California are simply too great right now: “Commercial producers are urged to postpone their productions in the Southern California area until a later date when the hospital capacity crisis has eased It is just too big a risk for artists, crew and industrial staff to continue production knowing that hospitals are in crisis mode and the number of cases continues to rise. “
The demand to delay production was also endorsed by the Producers Guild of America, which issued its own statement urging producers to avoid manufacturing operations in the Southern California area until more hospital beds are available: “Independent producers can helping hold the line on this crisis by taking the difficult but responsible step of postponing production for now. We can and will do everything we can to protect our cast, crew and community, “said Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher who have favourited Presidents of the PGA.
SAG-AFTRA, the JPC and the PGA will keep in touch with members and the industry as the situation evolves. David White: “It’s too difficult to say right now when things might get better, but we are closely monitoring and will make sure our members have the information they need to make the best decisions possible, for themselves and for themselves.” protect our community. ” . “