Negotiators for the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists have reached a tentative three-year deal with the ad industry on a commercials contract, a few hours after the expiration of the current contract.

The unions made the announcement Wednesday morning in New York following five weeks of negotiations at the Crowne Plaza Hotel under a news blackout. The pact must be approved by the joint board of the two unions, then ratified by the 150,000 members of both unions via mail ballot to go into effect.

SAG and AFTRA said the first year of the deal contains more than $36 million in wage rates and other payments; $21 million in increased pension and health fund contributions; establishment of a payment structure for work made for and moved over to the Internet and other new media platforms; and a provision for a two-year pilot study by a consultant to test a revamp of compensation, based on ratings rather than the current pay-per-play model.

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