The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists national board of directors approved two packages of proposals during meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, the union announced Wednesday.
The board gave its nod to proposals for the renegotiation of the AFTRA Sound Recordings Code and its National Television Code.
Here's the union's announcement:
AFTRA National Board Approves Proposals for
Sound Recordings and Network Television Contracts
Explores Schedule Adjustment to Prioritize Sound Code Negotiations
and New Union Discussions
Seattle, Wash. (July 20, 2011) --- The National Board of Directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO – a national union of more than 70,000 recording artists, broadcasters, actors, singers, dancers and other performers and professionals who work across the spectrum of media industries including television, radio, cable, sound recordings and digital media – convened its July 19-20 face-to-face plenary meeting prior to the 63rd AFTRA National Convention which starts on Thursday.
The AFTRA National Board approved a package of proposals for the renegotiation of the AFTRA Sound Recordings Code, the Union’s second largest national contract, which covers recordings on all media and all music formats, as well as audiobooks, comedy albums and cast albums. The Sound Code will expire on Dec. 31, 2011, and negotiations with the major music labels are scheduled to commence on Aug. 15 in New York City. The negotiations are conducted between AFTRA and the major record labels (SONY, BMG, EMI, Warner Music, and Universal Music Group) as well as the Disney family of record labels
The Board also approved a package of proposals for the renegotiation of the AFTRA Network Television Code “Front of the Book,” the Union’s largest national contract which is currently scheduled to expire on Nov. 15, 2011.
The “Front of the Book” covers all types of programming in television, except for local and national news broadcasts and primetime dramatic programs on the networks and The CW. It includes dramas in first-run syndication, morning news shows, talk shows, daytime serials (soap operas), variety, reality, contest and sports. Current programs covered by this contract include “Good Morning America,” “The View,” “The Price is Right,” “Days of Our Lives,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “American Idol,” “Monday Night Football,” “Survivor,” “20/20,” “Deal or No Deal,” “Late Show with David Letterman,” among many others.
The members of the National Board unanimously authorized AFTRA’s negotiators to explore an adjustment to the negotiating schedule of the Network Television Code. The adjustment would enable AFTRA members to focus on their immediate bargaining of the Sound Recordings Code. Further, it would permit the new union discussions with members of the Screen Actors Guild to continue in the early fall, and with the full participation of AFTRA member leaders and professional staff.
“The Sound Recordings Code is an important contract for thousands of AFTRA recording artists in large, small and emerging markets across the nation,” said AFTRA National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth, who serves as the Union’s Chief Negotiator on both contracts.
