ACTRA APPLAUDS SAG-AFTRA MERGER VOTE

The Alliance of Canadian Cinema Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) welcomes the results of a successful merger vote between U.S. screen performers’ unions SAG and AFTRA. With SAG members voting 82% in favour of the merger and AFTRA members voting 86% in favour, the amalgamated union is now poised to tackle the challenges of a transformed media landscape.

“This merger is a long time coming and I couldn’t be more thrilled for our U.S. brothers and sisters,” said Ferne Downey, ACTRA National President. “We look forward to continuing to work with the merged SAG-AFTRA in the same spirit of solidarity that we have always enjoyed with AFTRA and SAG.”

The SAG-AFTRA merger vote was strongly endorsed by the national boards of both unions and came about in response to the need for stronger union representation to engage with large multinational corporations and media conglomerates. A merged union will allow screen performers to pursue a unified strategy in respect to wages, working conditions, health and pension benefits and work opportunities.

“This vote marks the beginning of a new chapter for SAG and AFTRA,” said Stephen Waddell, ACTRA National Executive Director. “There is strength in unity and I look forward to watching a merged SAG-AFTRA flex their collective muscle by bargaining for their membership from a position of strength and working to stop the creeping growth of non-union work.”

ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is the national organization of professional performers working in the English-language recorded media in Canada. ACTRA represents the interests of 22,000 members across Canada – the foundation of Canada’s highly acclaimed professional performing community.