Intimacy Coordinators Unionize for Safer Sets

Intimacy coordinators, professionals dedicated to ensuring safety and consent during intimate scenes, have successfully voted to unionize under SAG-AFTRA. This significant development follows a unanimous decision by the union's national board to ratify a groundbreaking agreement with major studios and streamers. The contract, which takes effect on February 22, 2026, for new scripted productions, marks a pivotal moment for the profession.

The newly ratified agreement establishes crucial protections for intimacy coordinators, including standardized minimum wage rates for daily and weekly work. Furthermore, it integrates these workers into the union's health and pension plans, aligning their benefits with those of film and television performers. The contract also codifies essential working conditions such as overtime rules, meal breaks, and provisions for late wage payments, ensuring a more structured and equitable professional environment.

This historic contract empowers intimacy coordinators by granting them access to vital materials, including performer riders and studio guidelines for sensitive scenes. They are also guaranteed the ability to observe scene performances, further solidifying their role in maintaining safety and professionalism on set. This achievement, lauded as a transformative step by industry leaders, recognizes the indispensable expertise of intimacy coordinators in fostering respectful and secure film and television productions.