SAG and AFTRA have merged to become SAG-AFTRA. Now what?

[Originally published in the inaugural issue of SAG-AFTRA magazine.]

Now that AFTRA and SAG have merged, what happens with...

• CONTRACTS - All contracts will remain in effect until SAG-AFTRA next negotiates with employers. Existing TV/Theatrical contracts remain in effect until 2014.

• PENSION AND HEALTH/HEALTH RETIREMENT BENEFITS - In the near term, nothing changes with the health and retirement plan; members will accrue credits toward the plan in the same way they did before the merger, and earned benefits do not change. However, the merger removes a major obstacle to eventually combine the plans. The plans are separate from SAG and AFTRA, and the decision will ultimately be up to the plans' trustees.

• MEMBERSHIP - All AFTRA and AG members are now members of SAG-AFTRA,

• LEADERSHIP - Upon merger, AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon and SAG NAtional President Ken Howard became co-presidents of SAG-AFTRA. Prior to the first convention in the summer of 2013, elections will be held and the first president will be elected.

• REGIONAL OFFICES - Former SAG Branches and former AFTRA Locals are now Locals of SAG-AFTRA, and in areas where both exist, they are now combined.

• STAFF - The staff of SAG and AFTRA will be integrated.

• GLOBAL RULE ONE AND THE NO CONTRACT/NO WORK RULE - AFTRA's No Contract/No Work Rule will continue to apply in areas that were within AFTRA's traditional jurisdiction, and SAG's Global Rule One will continue to apply in the areas of SAG's traditional jurisdiction for all members of SAG-AFTRA.

For more information, click here.