THE FIRST COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT FOR INTERNET AND NEW MEDIA ADS BETWEEN THE JOINT PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION AND THE PERFORMERS’ UNION IN QUEBEC WILL TAKE EFFECT APRIL 1, 2016

Montreal, Thursday, February 18 – The Joint Producers Association (JPA), which is comprised of the Association of Creative Communications Agencies (A2C), the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) and the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA), today announced the first collective agreement with the Union des artistes (UDA) regarding Internet and New Media (INM) productions.

After a two-year period spent in arbitration, a decision was rendered December 5, 2015, concluding negotiations that had been ongoing for more than six years. In October, 2009, the JPA had invited the UDA to the bargaining table to establish the first collective INM agreement, distinct from a TV and radio agreement.

“The result of this process is vital for the marketing communications industry in Quebec because of the increasing role of Internet and New Media,” says Dominique Villeneuve, A2C’s general manager.

The JPA is pleased with the decision, which establishes basic requirements for hiring any artist involved in producing ads for Internet and New Media while taking into account the economic realities of producers in Quebec.

“The agreement is well-adapted for new marketing communications platforms and, importantly, it guarantees fair pay in line with the size of the audience reached while respecting the work of the artists involved,” says Paul Hétu, Vice President, Quebec at ACA.

This final decision is complementary to an arbitrator’s ruling rendered in 2013 which stated that any artist (both members and non-members of the UDA) can be hired. Specifically, it allowed for the employment of non-union performers and real people, consequently excluding a “closed-workshop” clause.

Key elements of the INM collective agreement

  • A new performers’ remuneration model that distinguishes between production rates and usage fees for commercials
  • Hourly rates specific to a performers’ function
  • Usage fees reflective of audience size, location (territory) and language in which the commercial is played
  • An ability to “move over” INM commercials to television by simply paying performers their respective television rate
  • Unrestricted use of “stock footage” material in INM productions

Effective April 1, 2016
The new collective agreement will take effect April 1, 2016 for a period of two years. Information sessions to explain the details of the agreement will be held in Montreal on February 24 and March 1, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Visit the A2C’s website to sign up.

Toronto dates for the information sessions will be provided soon.

Renewal of the TV/Radio agreement
The TV/radio agreement with the UDA expired on August 31, 2015. Negotiations between both parties are ongoing. Until a new agreement is in place, the terms of the expired agreement remain in force.

About the A2C
The A2C, previously known as the Association of Quebec Advertising Agencies (AAPQ), is the voice of almost 70 agencies in Quebec of different sizes, configurations, and specialties, but all with one thing in common: a commitment to creative communications. Its members generate more than 75% of the industry’s revenues in Quebec and contribute to the success of companies here and abroad. Our passion is reflected in various initiatives that aim to guide our member agencies when facing issues of an economic, technological, or social nature and in this way we aim to ensure vitality and excellence within the entire industry. For more information, visit https://a2c.quebec/en/discover-the-a2c/about.

About the ACA
ACA is Canada’s go-to organization for client marketers, dedicated to helping its members maximize the value of their MarCom and brand ROI. A national, not-for-profit association established in 1914, it speaks on behalf of more than 200 companies and divisions. For more information, visit our site.

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