Plan to Combine Performers Unions Advances in Vote

A plan to combine Hollywood’s two major performers unions entered the final act Sunday when directors of each organization overwhelmingly approved the formation of a 150,000-member umbrella group representing actors, broadcasters and recording artists.

Aimed at providing more negotiating muscle, saving money and ending jurisdiction squabbles, the plan would fold the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists into the new Alliance of International Media Artists.

Sunday’s vote by SAG and AFTRA directors turns the issue over to members, who are expected to vote by this summer.

Although the strong support by directors bodes well for the plan, at least 60% of the members still must OK it. Nonetheless, union officials said they are optimistic.

“I think once they see the plan and the details, they will have no choice but to vote yes,” SAG President Melissa Gilbert said.

The new union would be similar to labor organizations like the AFL-CIO or the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees that serve as umbrella groups over workers in different fields.

Three groups -- SAG, AFTRA and the American Federation of Recording Artists -- would operate independently within the new union. Each of the three groups would elect its own leaders, and union delegates would select the president of the alliance. The recording artists federation is currently a part of AFTRA but would be a separate part of the umbrella group.

Proponents have argued that consolidating will mean more bargaining power when squaring off against media giants, and also will help end fights over such issues as who represents actors in the burgeoning digital TV arena. SAG represents such performers as film and prime-time TV actors, while AFTRA represents such specialties as soap opera actors, game show performers and newscasters.

Supporters also argue that SAG and AFTRA, both of which operate with a deficit, could save substantial money by consolidating their numerous administrative functions, especially when more than 40,000 members already belong to both unions.

Those who support the latest plan hope it will prove an easy sell because the structure is designed to preserve the unions’ autonomy. They also expect that the flurry of media mergers in recent years will convince members that combining is critical.

“We’re in a different climate in the industry now,” Gilbert said.

A faction led by actor and SAG officer Kent McCord opposes the plan, arguing that it would diminish SAG’s autonomy.

In Sunday’s meeting, SAG directors, using a weighted voting system that gives certain members partial votes, voted 118.87 to 18.29 for the proposal. AFTRA directors voted 89 to 6 in favor. Directors of both unions had endorsed the overall concept in February.

SAG and AFTRA first discussed combining as far back as 1937. However, all attempts at a full-fledged merger stalled or were rejected by members. Four years ago, opponents in SAG shot down a merger plan.

SAG Chief Executive A. Robert Pisano said the new union would have 35 board members, 25 of them from SAG. Another three would be from AFTRA, three from the recording artists, three would be national union officers, and one director would represent small union offices.