American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
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Formerly called | American Federation of Radio Artists (1937–1952) |
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The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) was a performers' union that represented a wide variety of talent, including actors in radio and television, radio and television announcers and newspersons, singers and recording artists (both royalty artists and background singers), promo and voice-over announcers and other performers in commercials, stunt persons and specialty acts—as the organization itself publicly stated, "AFTRA's membership includes an array of talent".[2] On March 30, 2012, the members of AFTRA and of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) voted to merge and form SAG-AFTRA.[3][4]
Background
AFTRA was located at 5757 Wilshire Blvd, 7th Floor,
History
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Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Radio years
Emboldened by the
On August 16, 1937, the American Federation of Radio Artists was formed,[8]: 21 succeeding Radio Equity and the Radio Actors Guild. The Four As – the Associated Actors and Artistes of America – granted a charter to the new union, with 400 members in two locations. Chicago, the center for “soap opera” production, quickly followed New York and Los Angeles, with performers forming their own local chapter. By December 1937, AFRA had more than 2,000 members.
On July 12, 1938, with the support of radio stars
In 1941, AFRA members negotiated the Transcription Code, providing for programs recorded for later broadcast, and building cost-of-living increases into contracts.
Television years
On 16 April 1950, due to a jurisdiction dispute over television performers, several unions in the entertainment industry including Chorus Equity, the American Guild of Variety Artists, the Associated Actors and Artistes of America, the American Guild of Musical Artists, and Actors' Equity Association formed the Television Authority (TVA), which negotiated the first network television contract in December.
By 23 April 1951, six Los Angeles TV stations signed contracts certifying Television Authority as their performers' sole union representative.[9]
In 1951, the goal of a resolution from the 1947 National Convention was finally realized as AFRA negotiated the first Phonograph Recording Code for singers with the major recording labels.
On September 17, 1952, the Television Authority and AFRA merged to create a new union: the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. George Heller was the first head of AFTRA, which had nearly 10,000 members. In 1954, AFTRA negotiated the AFTRA Pension and Welfare Plan (later became the AFTRA Health and Retirement Funds) which stood as the industry's first benefit package and was negotiated into other agreements.
In 1956, early television agreements had been based on live performances, but by the mid-1950s, videotape improved to the point where programs could be broadcast repeatedly. AFTRA members negotiated the first-ever formula for payments for replay of performances, which became the basis for residuals and syndication throughout the television industry. In 1960, AFTRA and Screen Actors Guild members conducted first joint negotiations on television commercials.
In 1967, AFTRA members called the union’s first national strike on March 29, 1967, after negotiations broke down over staff announcer contracts at owned-and-operated stations in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles and over first-time contracts for “Newsmen” at networks and owned-and-operated stations. Since AFTRA adhered to a bargaining principle that no general agreement exists until all Codes and Contracts are acceptable, the 13-day strike involved all 18,000 members in more than 100 locations across the country. Agreement was reached on the outstanding issues at 8:05 pm, EST, on Monday, April 10, 1967—just in time to allow broadcast of the annual Academy Awards program live from the Santa Monica Auditorium.
In 1974, a challenge by
In 1978, in only the second national strike in AFTRA’s history, AFTRA and SAG members struck the advertising agencies and national advertisers over the jointly negotiated Commercials Contracts.[10]
Cable/Home Video/Digital years
In 1980, AFTRA and SAG members held a strike against prime time television, wanting a formula for performer participation in profits from sale of videocassettes and pay TV. In 1981, a merger of AFTRA and SAG jointly entered their "Phase 1 Agreement," calling for a number of jointly negotiated, ratified, and administered contracts.
AFTRA became the target of a lawsuit by Tuesday Productions, a
In 1986, a strike against network television was averted when companies backed off the demand for AFTRA news broadcasters to assume sweeping technical duties.
In 1992, as part of a coalition of recording artists, singers, musicians, and others, AFTRA members worked with Congress to enact the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992, the Digital Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act of 1995 and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. All three laws granted a performance right in sound recordings for a wide range of digital uses, including home recording and distribution by internet, cable, and satellite. AFTRA helped develop mechanisms to assure payments to recording artists from the collection and distribution of royalties established by the laws.
In 1993, AFTRA members negotiated the first Interactive Media Agreement to cover performances in
In 2000, AFTRA and SAG members staged a six-month strike against advertisers to gain improvements in basic cable and internet commercials, preserving established residual formulas for new media outlets.[11]
In 2003, in a referendum on the merger of AFTRA and SAG, AFTRA members supported consolidation by more than 75%, while SAG members rejected the merger with 58% voting for it. At least 60% was required to pass, leaving a deficiency of 640 votes.[12]
In 2005, with the digital distribution of programming by Apple iTunes and the video iPod announced in October, AFTRA joined other entertainment unions in calling for ongoing dialogue with employers to ensure fair and proper compensation for performers’ work.
In 2006, AFTRA led the campaign against relaxation of media ownership rules by the Federal Communications Commission. Through 2007, AFTRA elected leaders, members, and staff testified at numerous hearings held throughout the country and sent letters to the FCC opposing consolidation of media ownership.
AFTRA and SAG members agreed with the advertising industry to examine performer compensation models for commercials appearing on television, radio, and internet, as well as the growing array of existing and yet-to-be-developed media. The study was intended to help inform negotiations of the Commercials Contracts when the two-year extension agreement expired October 28, 2008.[13]
Merger with SAG
The merger between AFTRA and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) to form SAG-AFTRA was approved by the memberships of both unions with 86% and 82% support respectively on March 30, 2012.[3]
Historical leadership: 1937-2012
President | Term |
---|---|
Eddie Cantor | 1937–1940 |
Lawrence Tibbett | 1940–1946 |
Ken Carpenter | 1946–1948 |
Bud Collyer | 1948–1950 |
Knox Manning | 1950–1952 |
Alan Bunce | 1952–1954 |
Frank Nelson | 1954–1957 |
Bud Collyer | 1957–1959 |
Virginia Payne | 1959–1961 |
Art Gilmore | 1961–1963 |
Vicki Vola | 1963–1965 |
Tyler McVey | 1965–1967 |
Mel Brandt | 1967–1970 |
Bill Baldwin | 1970–1973 |
Ken Harvey | 1973–1976 |
Joe Slattery | 1976–1979 |
Bill Hillman | 1979–1984 |
Frank Maxwell | 1984–1989 |
Reed Farrell | 1989–1993 |
Shelby Scott | 1993–2001 |
John Connolly | 2001–2007 |
Roberta Reardon | 2007–2012 |
References
- ^ US Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. File number 000-030. Report submitted April 30, 2012.
- ^ a b "The People Who Entertain and Inform America". aftra.org/. AFTRA. 2009. Archived from the original (Web page) on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ a b "SAG, AFTRA Members Approve Merger to Form SAG-AFTRA". SAG-AFTRA. March 30, 2012. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ Daniel Lehman (29 February 2012). "SAG and AFTRA Send Merger Ballots to Members" (Web page). backstage.com/. Back Stage. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ "TV & Radio Artists AFTRA" (Web page). unionfacts.com/. Center for Union Facts. 20 March 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ mjflick (12 August 2007). "Top: Arts: Performing Arts: Acting: Unions" (Web page). Open-Site: Free Internet Encyclopedia. Open Site. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ a b US Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. File number 000-030. (Search)
- ISBN 0-8093-2022-3
- ^ "Radio: Victory for TvA". Time.com magazine. 23 April 1951. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ "CNN.com - Entertainment - U.S. actors union ends longest-ever strike - October 23, 2000". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ Jonathan Handel, "SAG/AFTRA Merger Passes: It's Now SAG-AFTRA", The Hollywood Reporter, March 30, 2012
- ^ Scott Collins, "A SAG strike won't cripple TV", Los Angeles Times, December 1, 2008
- ^ "AFTRA Presidents". SAG–AFTRA. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
Further reading
- Baar, K. Kevyne. " 'What Has My Union Done For Me?' The Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and Actors' Equity Association Respond to McCarthy-Era Blacklisting." Film History (2008): 437-455. online
External links
- AFTRA history
- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), National Office, Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at New York University.