SAG-AFTRA Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Merger of Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists

SAG-AFTRA, the world’s largest union representing entertainment and media artists, today celebrates the 10th anniversary of the historic merger of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The anniversary marks a decade in which the union has negotiated groundbreaking contracts for members with producers of entertainment and news programming and embraced a future where technology is changing the face of entertainment and news. Additionally, the union has expanded protections for members through establishing standards and protocols for the use of intimacy coordinators, creating a sexual harassment reporting tool, adding anti-harassment language to contracts, and working with other unions to create safety protocols that allowed members to resume work during the pandemic.

"It's a great honor to lead this dynamic union during the time of its 10th anniversary," said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. "As we look ahead to the next decade, we will continue to evolve and improve the lives of our members, increasing protections and presenting a united front, as well as taking a determined stance regarding green practices in our industry. Together and in unity we march into the next decade bigger, better and stronger than ever! Happy anniversary, everyone. We made it!"

“The union’s accomplishments over the last decade have been many, but we are positioned to achieve even more in the decade ahead,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “Since the 2012 merger, we have expanded our jurisdiction and achieved historic organizing victories, all while engaging with emerging technology to better protect and serve our members.”

In the decade since the two unions merged, the combined SAG-AFTRA has undertaken broad initiatives that have changed the face of the entertainment and news professions, including:

• Significant contract gains, positioning the union for the digital future.
• Launching the Four Pillars of Change Initiative, designed to fight the culture of sexual harassment in the industry.
• Creating a mobile app to keep union members informed and connected and arranging for direct deposit of millions of dollars in annual residual payments.
• Signing a first-ever agreement between the union and a streaming service, which brought Netflix into its first contractual arrangement with SAG-AFTRA members.
• Reaching a deal to cover Spanish-language television performers through a first-ever agreement with Telemundo.
• Releasing the first-ever standards and protocols for the use of intimacy coordinators and stunt coordinators.
• Negotiating a Return to Work Agreement to get members back to work in a safe and protected environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Expanding union protection to social media stars through an unprecedented Influencer Agreement.

In March of 2012, members of Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists voted by more than 80% to join forces. Since that time, SAG-AFTRA has worked to further one mission: to better the lives of its members. It has done so by negotiating gains in union contracts, deploying technology to better serve members, expanding its organizing efforts and creating an atmosphere where creative individuals can work without the fear of unsafe working conditions.

Most recently, Fast Company magazine named SAG-AFTRA to its list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. SAG-AFTRA is the first union to receive this distinction, joining a select group of groundbreaking businesses and organizations across industries and around the globe. The union ranked seventh on the list of the 10 Most Innovative Film and Television companies, joining such industry stalwarts as WarnerMedia, The New York Times and A24.

About SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at SAGAFTRA.org.