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    2021 MOA Basic West Coast Agreement Key Changes

    The Basic West Coast Agreement has been ratified effective November 21, 2021.

    To help you prepare for retroactive payments and budgeting, hiring crew, and discussing benefits for your future productions, we've outlined the most recent changes below.

    • Wages
      • 3% increase retroactive to August 1, 2021
      • An additional 3% increase effective July 31, 2022
      • An additional 3% increase effective July 30, 2023
    • Wages Writers Room Assistants and Script Coordinators**
      • $23.50 per hour retroactive to August 1, 2021
      • $24.50 per hour effective July 31, 2022
      • $26.00 per hour effective July 30, 2023

    • Wages Assistant Production Office Coordinators (TV Motion Pictures)**
      • $23.50 per hour retroactive to August 1, 2021
      • $24.50 per hour effective July 31, 2022
      • $26.00 per hour effective July 30, 2023

    • Wages Art Department Coordinators (TV Motion Pictures)**
      • $23.50 per hour retroactive to August 1, 2021
      • $24.50 per hour effective July 31, 2022
      • $26.00 per hour effective July 30, 2023

    **The following sideletters shall not apply to the minimum contract wage rates to the above mentioned positions: the Sideletter re Special Conditions for One-Half Hour and One-Hour Pilots and One-Hour Episodic Television Series (Other than Pilots or Series Made for Basic Cable), the Sideletter re Special Conditions for Long-Form Television Motion Pictures (Including Movies-of-the-Week, Mini-Series and Two (2) Hour Pilots for Which No Commitment for a Series Exists at the Time of the Pilot Order), the Sideletter re Productions Made for Basic Cable and the Sideletter re Programs Made for New Media.

    • PH&W $15 Million Contributors
      • Health increases $0.40 per hour for each hour worked or guaranteed retroactive to August 1, 2021
      • Health increases an additional $0.40 per hour for each hour worked or guaranteed effective July 31, 2022
      • Health increases an additional $0.40 per hour for each hour worked or guaranteed effective July 30, 2023
    • PH&W Premium Employers (Non-$15 Million Contributors)
      • Health increases $1.20 per hour worked or guaranteed retroactive to August 1, 2021
      • Health increases an additional $1.20 per hour worked or guaranteed effective July 31, 2022
      • Health increases an additional $1.20 per hour worked or guaranteed effective July 30, 2023
    • “Shop” or “Facility” Signatory (New name of Signatory)
      • Remains at $2.00 above the “Then-Current Basic Rate”
    • “On-Call” Benefits to Weekly Scheduled Studio, Nearby and Distant Location Employment
      • Partial week (12 hours per day) increases to 13 hours per day effective July 31, 2022 and increases to 14 hours per day effective July 30, 2023
      • 5-day week (60 hours per week) increases to 65 hours per week effective July 31, 2022 and increases to 70 hours per week effective July 30, 2023
      • 6-day week (72 hours per week) increases to 77 hours per week effective July 31, 2022 and increases to 82 hours per week effective July 30, 2023
      • 7-day week (84 hours per week) increases to 89 hours per week effective July 31, 2022 and increases to 94 hours per week effective July 30, 2023
    • Rest Period (Daily) *Not Applicable to “On-Call” Employees (goes into effect February 13, 2022)
      • Studio & Nearby: 10 hours or more (the penalty is 1 hour of straight time for all hours invaded for an “On Production” employee and no more than 2 hours for an “Off Production” employee).
      • Distant: 9 hours or more (the penalty is 1 hour of straight time if no more than 1 hour is invaded, and employee shall be paid additional straight time for all such invaded time).
    • Weekend Rest for Employees Who Work a 5-Day Consecutive Work Week (goes into effect February 13, 2022)
      • 54 hours (inclusive of daily rest period).
      • May be reduced to 50 hours, inclusive of the daily rest period when:
        • 5th Day of the workweek is no longer than 12 hours; and either:
        • While working on exterior shooting: 50 hour rest
        • Where shooting location, access to which is limited to certain hours: the rest is 50 hours
        • Work on 5th day of workweek is delayed due to health and safety concerns (weather or natural hazard)
        • Exceptions: Once in a one-time motion picture 66-85 min in length, no more than 6 weeks on episodic series and mini-series, twice on a Theatrical Motion Picture or one-time motion picture 85+ min in length.
    • Weekend Rest for Employees Who Work a 6-Day Consecutive Work Week
      • 32-hour rest period – inclusive of the daily rest period (penalty is 1 additional hour of straight time for invaded hours).
    • Weekend Rest for Employees Whose 6th Day Worked Occurs on the 7th Day of the Workweek
      • 32 hours (dismissal to start penalty is 1 hour at straight time for all hours invaded).
      • Distant- portal-to-portal or worksite-to-worksite.
    • Meals “On Production” and “Off Production” and “Cinetechnicians” (goes into effect November 21, 2021)
      • $12.50 for 3rd and 4th meal
      • $25.00 for 5th and subsequent
      • For any workweek in which an employee is entitled to more than 20 meal period penalties, all subsequent meal period penalties in that workweek will be paid at 1 hour of pay at the prevailing rate for each half-hour of meal delay or fraction thereof.
    • Meals Television Motion Pictures shooting in a studio and “Cinetechnicians” (goes into effect November 21, 2021)
      • $13.50 for 3rd and 4th meal
      • $25.00 for 5th and succeeding
      • For any workweek in which an employee is entitled to more than 20 meal period penalties, all subsequent meal period penalties in that workweek will be paid at 1 hour of pay at the prevailing rate for each half-hour of meal delay or fraction thereof.
    • Meals Distant (goes into effect November 21, 2021)
      • $12.50 for 3rd and 4th meal
      • $25.00 for 5th and succeeding ½ hour meals
      • For any workweek in which an employee is entitled to more than 20 meal period penalties, all subsequent meal period penalties in that workweek will be paid at 1 hour of pay at the prevailing rate for each half-hour of meal delay or fraction thereof.
    • Low Budget SVOD Programs Live Action Programs (newly added)
      • Does not apply to one-time program, or principal photography of the first episode, in the case of a series commenced prior to August 1, 2022 or if the first episode of the series commenced after August 1, 2022.
      • 20-35 mins (less than $900,000)
      • 36-65 mins (less than $1,750,000)
      • 66+ mins (less than $2,100,000)
      • Terms and conditions follow Long-Form rollback wage rates 2 years.
      • Post-Production wage rates Exhibit 1, 2 pay periods prior.
    • Mid Budget SVOD
      • 20-35 mins ($900,000 or more but less than $1,300,000)
      • 36-65 mins ($1,750,000 or more but less than $2,500,000)
      • 66+ mins ($2,100,000 or more but less than $3,000,000)
      • Terms and conditions follow Long-Form rollback wage rates 1 period prior.
      • Post-Production wage rates Exhibit 1, 1 pay periods prior.
    • HBSVOD
      • Tier 1 Less-than 66 mins projects follow Special Conditions for one-half hour and One-Hour Pilots and One-Hour Episodic TV Series Long-Form (additional changes to take effect 8/1/2022).
    • Holiday
      • Martin Luther King Jr. Day shall be added as a holiday in the West Coast Studio Local Agreements.
      • Martin Luther King Jr. Day replaces Columbus Day for employees working under the #600 & #700 Amendment Agreements. EE due if works day before and day after payable at 8-hour minimum call at straight time hourly rate or 1/5th weekly guarantee.
    • Holiday Accrual
      • Increase from 3.719% to 4% effective 1/1/2022 – 12/31/2024

    • Centralized Off-Roster Hiring (newly added)
      • Implementation no later than 1/1/2022 - Producers and Union to centralize off-roster hiring when roster is exhausted, which would include an expansion in recruiting and dispatching off-roster candidates from under-represented populations. Producer may hire non-rostered individuals from underserved communities with prior experience in job classification.
    • Paid Sick Leave (removed California and made it just Paid Sick Leave)
      • Is now 1 hour for 30 hours worked for the same Producer and no longer limited to California. Employees employed outside California shall be eligible for such sick leave commencing February 1, 2022.
    • Safety Training
      • 4 hour minimum calls on a day in which the employee does not work and reports for training. Note: Old agreement just states “reports to safety training.”
      • Weekly on-call is paid at 1/10 of the weekly on-call rate for each such day. Note: Does not apply to weekly on-call or a day within a weekly guarantee of a weekly employee.
    • Cancellation of Call
      • Must notify employee prior to the employee’s dismissal for the day and for persons not on payroll up to 12 hours prior to their call time. Penalty for late cancellation is 8 hours minimum call. Producer may cancel weather permitting call up to 4 hours prior to employee’s call time. Penalty for 4 hours notification is 4 hours pay at straight time or 1/10th of weekly rate if employed by week.

    Additional information: Basic Agreement summary

    If you have any questions, please contact our Labor Relations team at LaborRelations@gslate.com.


    This information in this communication is general in nature, and is not intended, nor should it be construed, as legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice rendered by GreenSlate, LLC. The reader should contact his or her attorney, CPA, or tax professional prior to taking any action based upon this information.

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