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SAG-AFTRA members have ratified the 2026 Television Animation Agreement, as well as the 2026 Basic Cable Animation Agreement, with the Federation of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
On Thursday, union leadership confirmed that members approved the new four-year contracts by a vote of 94.5% to 5.05%.
The contracts, which have been negotiated based on input from members, are to provide better protection in relation to artificial intelligence. In addition, the contracts include a 12.6% salary increase over the term of the agreement, residual benefits and increases in health, pension and retirement plans. The agreement runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2030, with its terms taking effect retroactively.
“As someone who often works in TV animation, my sincere thanks go out to the TV Animation Negotiation Committee and co-chairs Bob Bergen and David Jolliffe for putting in the time and effort to get SAG-AFTRA members respected with necessary AI protections,” SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin said in a statement.
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and CEO, echoed this, saying, “SAG-AFTRA members who work in TV Animation deserve meaningful protections around AI and wages that reflect the value of their work.”
He said: “My thanks go to TV Animation Negotiating Committee co-chairs Bob Bergen and David Jolliffe and the rest of the negotiating committee volunteers for their incredible and dedicated work in ensuring a stable future for animators, and to Chief Contracting Officer Ray Rodriguez and the negotiating staff for their expertise and dedication.”
The update comes after a key week for SAG-AFTRA, whose president, Sean Astin, recently addressed members’ frustrations over dwindling job opportunities that have made it difficult for many to pay their dues and qualify for the union’s health plan.
“The bottom line is that no deal can force studios to make more or get audiences to watch,” he said over the weekend. “But what we can do, what your union can do and is doing, is use every level of leverage that we have to make sure that there is a place for labor actors regardless of the industry.”
He said: “We know what you are up against because you have told us. Your experiences reach the people you choose, and they shape what we do.”
