Audiobook Narrators Gather in New York

On May 30, more than 70 SAG-AFTRA audiobook narrators from around the country gathered for a meeting in the Eddie Cantor Boardroom at 260 Madison Ave. On the agenda were updates on the newest SAG-AFTRA audiobook contracts, a discussion of future organizing, an opportunity for members to discuss their experience in the workplace, and of course, time set aside for socializing and eating some genuine New York pizza.

Having come to town for the Audiobook Publishers Association Conference the day before and the prestigious Audie Awards ceremony later that evening, the narrators seized the opportunity to meet their colleagues and fellow union members face to face. As one member in attendance said, “When you work in a 4-foot-by-4-foot booth all day, it’s easy to feel a little isolated.”

Over the past few years, as audiobook consumption has exploded, so has union coverage of audiobook work, growing from just a handful of contracts to more than 25. The solidarity in the room was palpable, as was the enthusiasm for the increase in union coverage in the industry. Ranging from large companies like Audible and Blackstone to small mom-and-pop studios, these producers have signed onto contracts that allow members to receive fair wages and health and retirement contributions for their work. Many of the narrators who gathered on May 30 earn their living solely as audiobook narrators, a craft about which they are passionate. They are able to do so largely because of the union wages, protections and benefits afforded by SAG-AFTRA contracts.

This article was originally featured in the July 2013 local e-newsletter.