The post-production crew at NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” unanimously ratified their first-ever union contract, a deal that will offer immediate pay boosts for all members of the unit and will avert a strike deadline the members had set for April 1st.
The vote took place during a Wednesday night meeting of the crew and Editors Guild representatives. The contract now goes into effect immediately and runs until the summer of 2026.
“The solidarity and bravery of this crew are just so impressive,” said Cathy Repola, National Executive Director of the Editors Guild. “They fought not just to improve their own working lives; they have also set a standard that will benefit all those who follow in their footsteps at this TV comedy institution. It was an honor to work with them on reaching this significant agreement.”
Under the terms of the contract, workers will see pay hikes of up to 60%, in addition to immediate ratification bonuses. Every member of the crew will receive initial increases, ranging from 7.5% to 33.5%, effective upon the show’s return from hiatus next week. It will also provide healthcare benefits for all crew members as well as provisions for meals, hotel stays, and car services given the nontraditional working hours of the long-running NBC sketch series. A joint commitment was also made to promote diversity, equity and inclusion on the crew.
The ratification of the contract comes after it was reported last week that the parties involved had reached a tentative agreement. The crew made up of 12-20 members had previously organized with the Motion Picture Editors Guild, and is a part of IATSE Local 700. They had originally announced plans to negotiate a contract in October.
Most of their colleagues on the show have long had union contracts. But these workers – who help create the show’s music-video parodies and other popular pre-taped segments – had been unrepresented and paid rates far below industry standards.
