Industry: SAG & AFTRA Reach Agreement on Merger

Of interest to many actors who transition between stage and screen, the AFTRA and SAG Group for One Union (G1) met for nine days in Los Angeles to continue the process of creating a successor union to SAG and AFTRA. After productive discussions and reaching consensus, a Merger Package was approved by the G1 to send to the respective boards of AFTRA and SAG for approval. The SAG National Board of Directors will meet on Jan. 27 and 28 to review and vote on the package, which includes a Merger Agreement and Constitution. The AFTRA National Board of Directors will meet on Jan. 28 and, if needed, Jan. 29 to review and vote on the package.

Details of the proposed merger package will not be released prior to the AFTRA and SAG board meetings.

“What we have accomplished over the last year is tremendously gratifying. We are confident our members will agree that we have created something we can all be proud of – actors, singers, broadcasters, dancers, voiceover artists, background actors, stuntpersons and all entertainment and media professionals that will be represented by this new union. The consensus process allowed our G1 members to fully discuss, debate and reach agreement on critical provisions that form a strong foundation for a single union that will protect and strengthen the future for all our members,” said SAG National President Ken Howard and AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon.

The G1 began its fifth round of talks on January 7 and concluded January 16. Meetings were held at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel and at AFTRA and SAG headquarters Los Angeles.

The SAG and AFTRA merger planning process and G1 meetings were facilitated by Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations Professor Susan J. Schurman and noted labor consultant Peter S. DiCicco using principles of interest-based problem solving and consensus decision making.