Union Basics
Watch "Why Unions Matter to You" with Robert Reich.
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What is a Union?
Labor unions were created to protect worker rights and stop exploitation. Members fight together for better pay and working conditions and collectively can be influential enough to engineer change.
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What is SAG-AFTRA?
The acronym stands for Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two organizations (SAG for Film, and AFTRA for TV and Radio) merged in in 2012. SAG-AFTRA is a union, not a guild (Despite the legacy name). The union 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 media professionals.
SAG-AFTRA is a member of the American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) which is a larger federation of 57 unions.
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SAG-AFTRA represents performers in the following areas:
Film and digital motion pictures,
Television programs,
Commercials,
Video games,
Corporate/educational and non-broadcast productions,
Audiobooks,
New media,
Television and radio news outlets,
Major label recording artists.
Member Categories
SAG-AFTRA member types are divided into seven work categories:
• Actor/Performer
• Broadcast/Entertainment
• Broadcast/News & Information
• Dancer
• Recording Artist
• Singer
• Stunt Performer
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The union is committed to:
- Organizing work done under its jurisdictions
- Negotiating the best wages, working conditions, and health and pension benefits
- Preserving and expanding members’ work opportunities
- Enforcing contracts
- Protecting members against unauthorized use of their work
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SAG-AFTRA Structure
The Union is made up of the following entities:
A Paid staff led by the National Executive Director (prohibited from working as performers)
A National Board led by a President (all volunteer members)
25 Locals each led by a Local President (all volunteer members)
National and Local committees (all volunteer members)
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Here is an 'Unofficial Union Literacy Guide' from the independent group, Solidarity.
Within the committees, there are 5 that are particularly pertinent to the interactive industry:
- National Voiceover committee, led by Keythe Farley
- Los Angeles Local Voiceover committee, led by David Joliffe and Bob Bergen
- National Interactive committee, led by Keythe Farley
- National Performance Capture Committee, led by Woody Schultz
- National Dubbing committee, led by Keythe Farley.
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Wages & Working Conditions meetings
Prior to negotiating or promulgating a contract, the union holds membership meetings called W&Ws to receive member recommendations for changes to the contracts.
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Performers are can be paid in many different ways; per session, per day, per hour, usage, etc.
Session rates are payment for the performance on the day. That may be a voice over session in studio or remote, or a full day of performance capture on a stage or remote.
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Usage rates are additional payments after the session for additional or continued use of the work.
Currently, the SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement (IMA) contains provisions for performers to be paid bonuses based on number of sessions worked but not for the continued usage of the performance.
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Union Rates are maintained in the contracts. SAG-AFTRA also publishes condensed, easy-to-read rate sheets.
- 202 Low Budget Interactive Rate Sheet
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Non-union Rates are freely bargained between the performer and producer.
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The GVAA Rate guide can be used as a reference (The union rate is currently $956.75 for 4-hrs)
Work Conditions
Interactive work can be strenuous, and in some cases dangerous. SAG-AFTRA contracts establish work time limits, safety conditions, and protect workers in general.
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Voice over sessions are a standard 4 hours, 2 hours if vocally stressful.
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Defining "vocally stressful" has proven difficult. There are currently generally accepted standards and practices, but there is currently no definition within the IMA.
Definition of Vocal Stress in the promulgated Low Budget IMA and Interactive Localization Agreement:
"Vocally Stressful sessions are any work that risks damage or undue strain to the Performer's voice which may be due to prolonged requests for the Performer to enact: yelling/shouting/screaming, fighting sounds, death sounds, battle cries, complicated creature sounds, unnatural vocal textures, extensive whispering, high pitched vocal sounds, or any other voice/sound that is difficult/challenging for the Performer to Deliver."
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Here are some resources on vocal health:
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University of Michigan note on vocal health
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SAG-AFTRA Video on vocal health and strain
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Washington Post article on Vocal Stress in Video Games
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Performance Capture can be done in studio (Voice recording with Head Mounted Camera, HMC) and the 4hr/2hr limits apply.
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Performance Capture done on a stage is paid at a day rate for an 8 hour day. This includes stunt performers working on a stage.
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Currently, there is a challenge in ensuring stunt performers receive the same safety protections on a PCAP stage that they receive on a TV/Theatrical/Commercial set.
Pension and Health Care
Pension vs. 401(k)
A pension and a 401(k) are both employer-sponsored retirement plans.
The most significant difference between the two is that a 401(k) is a defined-contribution plan, and a pension is a defined-benefit plan.
A 401(k) (defined-contribution plan) is typically tax-deferred and employees contribute a fixed amount or a percentage of their paychecks to an account that is intended to fund their retirements. The employer will, at times, match a portion of employee contributions as an added benefit.
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A pension (defined-benefit plan) is an employer-sponsored retirement plan where employee benefits are based on length of employment and salary history. The employer manages the plan's investments and risk and will usually hire an outside investment manager to do this. Employees become eligible to take their benefit as a lifetime annuity or in some cases as a lump-sum at an age defined by the plan's rules.
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In a 401K the risk is carried by the individual. In a pension plan the risk is carried by the employer.
Historically, employers have tried to move away from pension plans and towards 401(k)s because they cost more and carry more risk.
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The Bottom Line
Employer are much more likely to offer a 401(k) than a pension in its benefits package. If you work for a company that still offers a pension plan, you have the advantage of a guarantee of a given amount of monthly income in retirement, with investment and longevity risk placed on the plan provider. If you work for a company that offers a 401(k), you’ll need to take on the responsibility of contributing and choosing investments on your own.
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Social Security
The current Social Security system works like this; when you work, you pay taxes into Social Security. The government uses the tax money to pay benefits to:
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People who have already retired (base age is currently 67)
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People with qualifying disabilities.
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Survivors of workers who have died.
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Dependents of beneficiaries.
For more information on Social Security, see Social Security Administration: Understanding the Benefits.
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SAG and AFTRA Pension plans
When SAG and AFTRA merged in 2012, the pension plans were held separate because the SAG-Producers pension plan and the AFTRA Retirement Fund are separate legal entities from SAG-AFTRA and there are laws that ensure that no one loses benefits when plans merge. This is a difficult proposition and the union continues to work with both companies on strategies to successfully merge the plans.
Performers must earn credits each year towards their pension by working on covered projects.
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Learn more about the AFTRA Retirement Fund
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Learn more about the SAG-Producers Pension Plan
Health Care
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Public vs. Private Healthcare
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Public health care is usually provided by the government through national healthcare systems. Canada and the UK have this type of system.
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Private health care can be provided through “for profit” hospitals and self-employed practitioners, and “not for profit” non-government providers, including faith-based organizations.
The US has this type of system.
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Health Insurance
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Health insurance in the US is any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, social insurance, or a social welfare program funded by the government. Synonyms for this usage include "health coverage", "health care coverage", and "health benefits".
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Stanford article on How US Health Insurance Works
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Medicare
Medicare is a government national health insurance program in the US, under the Social Security Administration and administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It primarily provides health insurance for Americans aged 65 and older, but also for some younger people with disability status as determined by the Social Security Administration.
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Medicaid
Medicaid in the US is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and personal care services.
The main difference between the two programs is that Medicaid covers healthcare costs for people with low incomes while Medicare provides health coverage for the elderly. There are also dual health plans for people who have both Medicaid and Medicare.
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SAG-AFTRA Healthcare
Unlike the pension plans, SAG-AFTRA has successfully merged their Health Care plan.
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The SAG-AFTRA Health Plan is a separate entity from the Union. It provides health care coverage to members who meet the minimum earnings or days worked requirements.
Minimum earnings: currently $25,950 in a 12-month period as of January, 2022.
Alternative days worked threshold: 100 days in a 12-month period as of Januarty, 2022.
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Learn more about the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan