Actors’ Groups, Industry Leaders to Meet on Minority Employment

About 50 leaders of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists will begin meetings today with industry executives in hopes of increasing employment for minority performers.

The discussions will be a central part of the organizations’ fourth annual joint Ethnic Employment Opportunities Committee Conference today through Saturday at the Registry Hotel in Universal City.

The joint committee is engaged in “an ongoing campaign to raise the awareness of those involved in the casting process” about “what we believe to be rather limited opportunities for performers of color,” said Rodney Mitchell, national affirmative action officer for the Screen Actors Guild. Mitchell added that the committee is also concerned with employment opportunities for women performers, disabled performers and older performers.

“The conference is held every year . . . to learn what’s being done to satisfy the needs of all the protected groups of performers--particularly ethnic performers,” said Pamm Fair, public relations director for AFTRA. Fair added that the conferences also promote awareness on the part of industry management, who hear first-hand the concerns of minority performers.

“In a recent study we found that ethnic jobs in film and television have increased 50% in the last five years,” said Mark Locher, the guild’s director of communications. “But (jobs in) commercials have been dropping, and the picture is worse for women than for men.

“Analysis of the statistics has shown that despite the improvements, there are still some problem areas.” For that reason, Locher said, the conference will focus on ethnic opportunities in commercials and the special problems faced by ethnic women.