Plans for a merger of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (see WIT for Feb. 5, 2003) moved one very large step closer to finalization yesterday as the delegate boards of the two groups approved the plans by 87 and 94 percent, respectively. The plans call for the creation of the Alliance of International Media Artists, an umbrella organization to be composed of SAG, AFTRA, and the American Federation of Recording Artists---now part of AFTRA, but a separate entity under the planned merger. Still requiring approval by 60 percent of the general membership of SAG and AFTRA, the Alliance would function like a miniature version of the AFL-CIO---ending turf wars and increasing the strength of the member unions while maintaining their autonomy.
See "Plan to Combine Performers Unions Advances in Vote", JAMES BATES, Los Angeles Times, April 13, 2003