The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have approved a merger. The two combined unions have a membership of more than 150,000, and officials say that the merger will give them more bargaining power with studios and companies. Discussions around a merger began in April of 2009. One of the main issues facing the union is the payment of residuals, which have not changed with new digital platforms. The two unions say that this is a good thing for all of their members.
See "Hollywood Unions Ratify Merger to Bolster Clout With Studios", Michael White, Business Week, April 1, 2012