SAG, AFTRA and EQUITY

Actors' Unions and Guilds

Why should you join a Union? 

Unions protect you from abuse from producers; e.g less than satisfactory working conditions, poor salaries, long hours without breaks, unfair dismissals.  Union members enjoy health benefits.  

Who are the main actor unions?

The Actors Equity Association (Equity), http://www.actorsequity.org/

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG); http://www.sag.org/

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), www.aftra.org.

What are the drawbacks in joining Actors' Unions and Guilds?

You are expected to follow union rules and guidelines.

You can not work for a non-union producer. 

Equity

Equity represents stage actors.  Broadway actors belong to Equity.Non-Equity actors can work in Equity plays; they will then be called be apprentices. After the apprentices have performed a certain number of Equity plays, they are allowed to join Equity.SAG is considered a sister union of Equity. 

SAG

SAG represents screen actors – on the big screen or television.  If you do something that is on film – not video - you may belong to SAG; whether it is a film, commercial or industrial.

Only SAG members can work in a SAG project; but you are allowed to sign a "Taft-Hartley" agreement, which will allow you to work 30 days without joining SAG, but the next time you work in a SAG project, you have to join SAG.

If  you work as an "extra" in a film or commercial and you have a line it will qualify you for membership in SAG.

If you had a speaking part in an AFTRA project, you are eligible to join SAG after a year's membership in AFTRA.  Equity actors may also join SAG.      

AFTRA

For  an initiation fee (about $1,000), you can become a member of  AFTRA.

AFTRA is for actors who work in videotaped television shows: soaps, most sitcoms, some commercials, news personalities, Radio announcers and commercial actors.

If you live in a city where there is an AFTRA office but no SAG office, but an SAG production is underway there, SAG will usually allow AFTRA members to work in these projects.