Legal Definitions - AFTRA

AFTRA stands for the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. It was a prominent labor union in the United States that represented performers, journalists, and other professionals working in television, radio, and new media. AFTRA's primary role was to negotiate collective bargaining agreements with employers, ensuring fair wages, safe working conditions, health benefits, and retirement plans for its members. It also advocated for performers' rights and resolved disputes between members and their employers. In 2012, AFTRA merged with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) to form SAG-AFTRA, creating a unified union for actors, broadcasters, and other media professionals.

• Example 1: Television Actor's Contract
  Before the merger, a television actor landed a recurring role on a popular sitcom. When negotiating their contract, the actor's agent worked closely with AFTRA representatives to ensure the terms, including minimum pay rates, residuals for reruns, and health insurance contributions, met the union's established standards.

  This illustrates AFTRA's function in protecting its members' financial interests and working conditions by setting industry-wide standards through collective bargaining agreements, which individual contracts then had to adhere to.

• Example 2: Radio News Anchor's Grievance
  A long-time radio news anchor believed their station was unfairly assigning them extra shifts without proper compensation, violating their existing employment agreement. The anchor contacted AFTRA, which then intervened on their behalf, mediating with the station management to resolve the dispute and ensure the anchor received the correct pay for their work.

  This demonstrates AFTRA's role as an advocate for its members, stepping in to resolve workplace grievances and enforce the terms of employment agreements or union contracts when a member's rights were potentially violated.

• Example 3: Voiceover Artist for Commercials
  A voiceover artist was hired to record a national advertising campaign for a major car manufacturer. Because the artist was an AFTRA member and the production company had an agreement with the union, the artist received a specific session fee and guaranteed residuals for each time the commercial aired, as stipulated by AFTRA's commercial contracts.

  This highlights how AFTRA established and enforced standardized payment structures, including complex residual systems, for various types of media work, ensuring that performers were compensated fairly for the ongoing use of their recorded performances.