• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, October 4, 2009

The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have reached tentative agreements with video game companies on various new contracts, the two unions said Friday.

The agreements -- which become effective upon ratification and remain in full force until mid-2011 -- achieve parity between the AFTRA and Screen Actors Guild contracts.

In addition, the contracts deliver a 3% wage increase upon ratification for SAG, thereby bringing SAG's wages into parity with AFTRA's, and another 2.5% increase on April 1, 2010, for both unions. Both pacts contain increases in benefit contributions and a liquidated damages provision to incentivize employers to give notice of vocally stressful work.

The contracts also establish a new category of performance for "atmospheric voices" that is designed to increase work opportunities for union performers by allowing producers the flexibility to record multiple minor character voices in a single session.

The agreements also establish a cap of $125,000 on contributions to the AFTRA Health and Retirement and SAG Pension and Health funds. The cap will only apply to performers who are paid more than $125,000 by a single producer in a single year for work done on the same game franchise.

The tentative agreements must be approved by the Screen Actors Guild's National Board of Directors and the AFTRA Administrative Committee, both of which will meet in the coming weeks.

Other highlights of these agreements include a .5% increase in the pension and health contribution rate for Screen Actors Guild members, effective upon ratification and another .2% on January 1, 2010, for both unions -- bringing the total rate to 15%.