SAG, AFTRA set 12 ,. meet on merger

Leaders of Hollywood's two greatest artist unions have set a vital meeting for 12 ,. 11-12 to prep your final proposal for merging the Screen Stars Guild and also the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists. Spokespeople for SAG and AFTRA did not react to a request comment concerning the meeting, which will be the 4th formal confab from the Group for just one Union -- composed of people in the SAG Merger Task Pressure and also the AFTRA New Union Committee. The G1, with six workgroups, has since June been hammering out particulars like a metabolic rate, financing and dues using the target of showing final plans towards the SAG and AFTRA boards in The month of january. Apart from offering the conferences as productive, the unions have revealed only general particulars concerning the substance of discusssions. Advocates have contended that the combined union could be more effective and take away jurisdictional overlaps. Competitors have contended the new union ought to be for stars only but SAG voters happen to be backing professional-merger candidates extremely in recent elections. If the proposal be authorized by the national boards, people might be requested to OK the merger inside a contest that will require 60% of individuals voting in each union to approve. SAG presently has about 120,000 people while AFTRA has about 70,000 about 45,000 entertainers owned by both unions. SAG people switched lower merger votes in 1999 and 2003. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com