Washington-Baltimore Joint Membership Meeting Unanimously Supports Unity 2008

The AFTRA-SAG Washington/Baltimore membership, at its October 22 AFTRA-SAG Joint Membership meeting, voted unanimously to strongly urge all members to go online and sign onto the “Open Statement of Unity” in support of solidarity between our two Sister Unions.

At the AFTRA-SAG Membership Meeting held at the Chevy Chase Holiday Inn on Monday, October 22, 2007, both AFTRA and SAG members unanimously approved a very significant motion pertaining to AFTRA-SAG relations.  In wake of the rising tensions between the two unions, a motion was made for the AFTRA-SAG Washington/Baltimore membership to adopt the “Open Statement of Unity.”   All 100 AFTRA and SAG members present at the meeting seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed. 

“We, as members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors Guild, appeal to our fellow actors to come together with one strong voice through both of our unions as negotiations approach.”  The unity statement called on all performers to unite and work together for positive change. Further, the open statement concluded with three major requests of performers, stated herein:

1. Recognize and embrace the diversity of opinions that exist in our community of actors—and work together in a rational, collegial manner to find our common voice.  We cannot allow arrogant and aggressively hostile attitudes to divide us.
2. Keep Phase One, our agreement to bargain together, in place as it has been since 1981 with one member, one vote.  Joint negotiation of our agreements benefits all performers.
3. Continue to work toward merger of our two unions.

If you have not already read the “Open Statement of Unity,” you can find it online at:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/unityACTORS.