American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA)

UDR Story

• Guild officers unnerved by actors' internet free speech

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  Officials of the Screen Actors Guild were thrown off balance when union members rejected their proposal to merge with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. After spending an estimated $2 million in a massive campaign of direct mail and telemarketing, they failed to convince the required 60% of the voters. It must have been infuriating when the merger opponents, who spent little, won out simply by using the internet.

• SAG members nix merger with AFTRA

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  Officers of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists campaigned hard among their respective memberships for a merger of the two unions. AFTRA members approved the merger three to one. But despite a lopsided and heavy-handed campaign by the SAG leadership, when the count was in on July 2, approval of the merger fell 2% short of the 60% required by the SAG constitution. And so, although 33,626 voted for and 24,550 against, the merger went down to defeat.