Actors unions break ranks

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-fi-aftra4feb04,1,3892224.story?ctrack=2&cset=true

AFTRA will negotiate separately from SAG in talks with studios.
By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 4, 2008
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has made good on its threat to break ranks with its more powerful sister union, the Screen Actors Guild.

AFTRA's board of directors voted Saturday to separately negotiate its upcoming prime-time television contract with the major studios -- without SAG at the bargaining table.

The decision effectively ends a 27-year partnership between the two unions under which they had jointly negotiated film and prime-time TV contracts. It also could complicate key upcoming negotiations for actors, whose contract expires June 30, potentially allowing the studios to play off one union against the other.

Tensions between the groups, which have clashed over turf and contract terms in cable TV, boiled over recently when SAG's board urged members to scrap the long-standing agreement and replace it with one that is more equitable.

SAG's beef is that it must split votes with AFTRA, even though the guild's members account for the vast majority of earnings. SAG represents 120,000 film and TV actors. AFTRA has more than 70,000 members, including journalists, broadcasters and recording artists. The unions have 44,000 members in common.


FULL story at link.