Actors' two unions move toward merger.

Marriage's impact on industry would be limited

The governing bodies of two of the entertainment industry's biggest unions, the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, have agreed in principle to merge their memberships into one organization.

At a joint meeting on Jan. 25, the combined boards of directors for both SAG and AFTRA voted 128 to 8 in favor of a merger framework designed to create a new union of actors, broadcasters, recording artists and other performers. Both unions' health and pension plans would also be combined.

The unions first considered such a merger in the 1950s.

SAG's jurisdiction covers any production recorded on film - including all theatrical motion pictures, most TV commercials and some television shows. AFTRA's jurisdiction covers radio and any production recorded on video tape, including many television shows.

An overlapping of the performers in each union at times creates confusion, and has led to some squabbling between the two groups. The television sitcom "Roseanne," for example, is an AFTRA production, while the television drama "ER" is under SAG's jurisdiction.

Cut confusion

Each union boasts membership of about 75,000 performers, with about 35,000 members belonging to both unions and therefore paying double dues.

A merger would eliminate that kind of confusion, said AFTRA Assistant Executive Director Pamm Fair.

"We already have such similar goals and similar efforts," said Fair. "This would mean all performers are covered under one union."

Another area of concern to both unions is the emerging field of interactive entertainment and new media - where the jurisdiction-defining difference between film and video tape becomes moot. Jurisdiction over who will cover performers in this area is still fuzzy, and often new media producers shop around between SAG and AFTRA members looking for the best deal, Fair said.

But other than clearing up some inter-union questions, the merger is expected to have a relatively small impact on the entertainment industry as a whole.

"From the point of view of the cost of production, this will mean little," said Mark Levinson, an independent producer. "We'll still be hiring the same people."

Chester L. Migden, former executive director the Screen Actors Guild and recently retired executive director of the Association of Talent Agents, also anticipates little change in the way Hollywood does business.

End rivalry 

"The principal value for the two unions is that a merger would end, once and for all, competition over jurisdiction," Migden said.

"But in my view a merger would not create any substantial revolution in terms of its impact (on Hollywood)."

Though the governing bodies of the two unions have agreed to the merger in principle, there is still much fine print to be ironed out. Ultimately, both the SAG and AFTRA boards would have to approve the plan again, and then get approval by both groups' general membership.