AFTRA Ratifies Contract
by Leslie Simmons, The Hollywood Reporter
After a bitter feud with sister union the Screen Actors Guild over its prime-time TV contract, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists' membership on Tuesday approved the union's new deal with the studios.
Slightly more than 62 percent of the voting members said yes to the pact.
"Today's vote reflects the ability of AFTRA members to recognize a solid contract when they see it," AFTRA president Roberta Reardon said late Tuesday. "We were faced with an unprecedented situation of another union mounting a well-funded and ferocious attack on our contract-ratification process. In the face of that kind of attack, I think the percentage that ratified this contract is really good, and I'm thrilled."
SAG, whose leadership had contended that a separate deal with AFTRA would dilute its clout at the bargaining table, asserted that the referendum was skewed by non-actor members of the union.
To continue reading about the ratified contract,
click here.
For complete SAG/AFTRA coverage,
click here.
