November 13-14 Los Angeles AFTRA members save $150! Click here>>
November 19-20 New York AFTRA members save $176! Click here>>
AFTRA National First Vice President Bob Edwards Remembers Studs Terkel Longtime AFTRA member Louis "Studs" Terkel, passed away on Friday, October 31, at the age of 96. Award-winning broadcast journalist and AFTRA National First Vice President Bob Ewards pays tribute to his life, career, and outstanding contributions to organized labor and working families: "Studs was an actor, law school graduate, radio interviewer, union booster, oral historian, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, raconteur, a fan of jazz and opera, champion of the underdog, arch liberal, strong advocate of civil and human rights, and an opponent of anyone who felt superior by virtue of class, race, or privilege." Click here to read more.
Important Notice Regarding the Joint Wages & Working Conditions Process in Preparation for the Commercials Contract Negotiations AFTRA and SAG are pleased to announce the beginning of the Joint Wages & Working Conditions (W&W;) process in preparation for negotiation of the Commercials Contracts that were extended from October 31, 2008, to March 31, 2009. It is only through the involvement of members that proposals for this vital negotiation are developed.Click here to read the notice and find out about W&W;, member caucus, and informational meetings in your area.
AFTRA Urges FCC to Hold Public Hearings on Changes to Wireless Technology In a letter filed with the Federal Communications Commission, AFTRA, the nation's second largest performers union, urged the FCC to delay a vote on a proposed plan that would allow wireless devices to compete for the same frequency as wireless microphones. The FCC is scheduled to meet and vote on the issue on Election Day, November 4. Click here to read the press release.
AFTRA National Board of Directors Approves Conditions that would Permit Joint Bargaining with SAG on Commercials Contracts Meeting by videoconference between New York and Los Angeles, the National Board of Directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists—a national union of more than more 70,000 performers, journalists, broadcasters, recording artists, and other talent working in the entertainment and news media—approved a proposed agreement outlining conditions to permit joint bargaining with SAG on the Commercials Contracts under the terms of the Phase One agreement. Click here to read the press release.
An Important Message from Roberta Reardon and Denny Delk This past Labor Day holiday we celebrated the contributions American workers have made to the strength and vibrancy of our nation. Regardless of category or type of employment, like all union workers, AFTRA members stand strong for the basic principles of organized labor -- freedom to organize and bargain collectively and the right to have fair wages, protections, and benefits in return for their labors and talent. Click here to read the rest of this message about the AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement.
Performers’ Unions and Advertising Industry Agree to Extend Commercials Contracts through March 31, 2009 The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and the advertising industry’s ANA/AAAA Joint Policy Committee on Broadcast Talent Union Relations (JPC) have jointly announced an agreement to extend, through March 31, 2009, the terms of their Commercials Contracts.The extension adds approximately six months to the previous two-year extension the parties agreed to, which covered the period from 2006 to 2008. That extension was set to expire on October 29, 2008.
AFTRA New York Members Win New Law Banning Non-Compete Provisions in Broadcast Contracts AFTRA New York members who had contributed their hard work and effort in support of the “Broadcast Employees Freedom to Work Act” hailed New York Governor David A. Paterson for signing the new law yesterday. Click here to read more about this important legislative victory>>
H&R; Health Plan Premiums Remain Unchanged Premiums for the AFTRA Health Plan will remain at their present levels until at least March 31, 2009. Click here to view the announcement on the H&R; website.
AFTRA-AEA Letter from Presidents Reardon and Zimmerman Professional performers work in all media. Only you can protect your interests, and preserve the fair and decent working conditions that you, as a professional, deserve. Click here to discover how you can stand with your fellow union members>>
Help The Actors Fund Help the Community The lingering effects of the writers' strike are very severe. As of April 2, The Actors Fund had provided more than $1million in direct financial assistance to more than 600 people in Southern California impacted by the strike, and The Fund is still handling many new applications. To help The Fund keep up with the demands of the strike and their many other critical and essential human services programs, AFTRA members are encouraged to give a gift to The Actors Fund by going online to donate at www.actorsfundsupport.org/aftra/ or calling The Fund at 800.221.7303.
AFTRA Receives AFL-CIO Charter!
AFTRA announced that at its national board meeting Saturday, February 2, members received a major boost of confidence from the AFL-CIO, as the nation's largest labor federation issued a direct charter Friday to the national labor union of more 70,000 performers, journalists, broadcasters, recording artists, and other talent working in the entertainment and news media.
Watch the announcement that AFTRA receives a direct charter from AFL-CIO president John Sweeney.
Tell Your Legislators to Support the Performance Rights Act Join with AFTRA recording artists, singers, broadcasters, and performers in supporting legislation to assure that recording artists receive compensation when their performances are played on over-the-air radio. Click here to send a message >>
AFTRA Channel Debuts on YouTube AFTRA members now have a channel at YouTube where you can share and watch video. The first piece on the channel is a clip from the documentary AFTRA: Commitment to Action and features a couple dozen members whose voices come together to say "I am AFTRA." Also, you'll find a link to a new video produced by AFTRA New York members to promote the AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement. Join AFTRA on YouTube at www.youtube.com/AFTRAnetwork <
AFTRA Tells Producers to Make Their Projects a Hit with AFTRA Talent As part of the ongoing effort to make sure that your work in the new digital media is covered under an AFTRA contract, an outreach campaign to new media producers is underway. AFTRA.com now features a special landing page for producers that highlights recent productions covered by an AFTRA contract, including videogame Halo 3, internet comedy series Park Bench, and podcast The Creature. See how AFTRA is encouraging producers to engage AFTRA members in new media content here>>
NO CONTRACT, NO WORK Order in Effect for 'TMZ' Effective September 20, 2007, members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists are advised that TMZ Productions Inc., Harvey Levin Productions Inc., and paraMedia inc.-producers of the syndicated TV series "TMZ"-are not signed to an AFTRA contract covering this program. AFTRA members may NOT accept employment, including recording in-show and/or promotional announcements, on "TMZ" until and unless a fair contract between AFTRA and the producers is achieved. If you are contacted for employment on "TMZ", please contact Joan Halpern Weise, Assistant National Executive Director, at 323.634.8174 (jweise@aftra.com) or David Besbris, Los Angeles Local Director of Television, 323.634.8116 (dbesbris@aftra.com). All calls are confidential.
Help Equity Members Win Contracts Support your fellow union members at Actors' Equity Association in their efforts to achieve fair contracts. For more information about the productions involved, please click here to see the AEA notice>>
Safety Resources for Journalists: A brief compendium of some of the practical safety resources, including links to other organizations. Click here for the print and html versions>>
Safety Bulletins Recommended by Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee for the Motion Picture and Television Industry for the safety of cast and crew. Click here to visit the Contract Services Administration Trust Fund website and view current Safety Bulletins>>
The Evolving Landscape of Basic Cable Click here>> AFTRA members are working together to expand union jobs in cable TV for performers working in the U.S.
AFTRA, SAG, and AEA Announce the I AM PWD Campaign Click here>>
Convention Empowers Members to Move Forward Elected as delegates to the AFTRA 70th Anniversary National Convention, the more than 250 AFTRA members from throughout the country who assembled in Philadelphia, July 19-21, were energized and engaged by the work accomplished at AFTRA's highest governing body. AFTRA members are moving forward together to organize new work and maintain strong contracts. Click here for a full report with sights and sounds from the Convention>>
