Howard, Reardon to co-chair SAG-AFTRA

Ken Howard and Roberta Reardon will finish up co-presidents of SAG-AFTRA not under yearly -- when the recommended merger involving the Screen Stars Guild as well as the American Federation of Television and Radio undergo. SAG and AFTRA haven't released particulars round the merger plan, OKd in the last weekend with the two national boards. But people with understanding have told Variety the proposal offers the current selected leadership of those two unions will remain in position getting some pot controlling structure until no less than May, 2013. Meaning a co-presidency for Howard and Reardon, a co-secretary-treasureship for SAG secretary-treasurer Amy Aquino and AFTRA secretary-treasurer Matt Kimbrough together with just one national board for individuals in the SAG and AFTRA national boards. The completely new election structure will begin to enter into effect next season between May and August, when the contests for leader, secretary-treasurer and several board individuals will occur. An expert V . p . and 7 other VPs will probably be selected inside a convention in September, 2013. Particulars in the plan will probably be revealed now as well as the ballots will probably be sent on Feb. 27 getting a March 30 tabulation date. The geographic makeup in the new board depends upon the residency of dues-current people in the union, that's imagined getting 140,000 people. Through the finish of a year ago, Hollywood might be repped by 48% of seats round the board. Hollywood has about 60% of SAG board seats presently with 25% allocated to NY as well as the relaxation repped by regional offices. The merger proposal is going to be shipped to 120,000 SAG people and 70,000 AFTRA people, who include stars, tv producers, DJs, entertainers and ballroom ballroom dancers. To feed, the referendum want a 60% approval margin from both orgs among votes cast. The 45,000 thesps who participate in both SAG and AFTRA can get two ballots, one for each union. SAG people defeated merger plans in 1999 and 2003 while AFTRA people supported both. The initiation fee for SAG-AFTRA will probably be $3,000 -- a hike for people possessed just by one union but a savings for dual customers. Current initiation fee is $2,230 at SAG and $1,600 at AFTRA. The yearly dues will probably be $198 with SAG-AFTRA taking 1.575% of earnings up to more $8,073. For tv producers, the dues rate will probably be 1.575% on earnings around $100,000, losing to .274% for earnings between $100,001 and $250,000 to a maximum of $2,184. AFTRA's current policy enabling broadcast individuals to focus on single-employer non-union locations will remain intact. But individuals will stay barred from utilized by multi-employer non-union locations. AFTRA also introduced Monday that it's individuals have ratified the three-year successor deal round the AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Appear Tracks. The last deal expired on 12 ,. 31, and so the new contract is retroactive to Jan. 1 and let you know 12 ,. 31, 2014. AFTRA mentioned highlights in the contract incorporate a increase in base rates of twoPercent each year in the contract an increase in the industry health insurance retirement contribution rate on royalty earnings by 1% inside the existence in the agreement the retention of needed special employer contributions that guarantee medical insurance benefits for royalty artists round the current ''roster'' from the label by growing the most on employer contributions from $5,000 to $6,500 every year enhanced and extended performers' base of participation in revenue from acquisition of digital downloads the establishment from the new structure of revenue-based obligations for completely new parts of low-budget licenses and licenses for nontraditional usages, for instance reuse of tracks in novelty consumer products. The appear tracks code produces greater than $140 million in annual earnings for AFTRA people. It covers entertainers, royalty and non-royalty artists, additionally to announcers, stars, comics, narrators and appear effects artists who concentrate on tracks in many new and traditional media and many types of music formats, furthermore to audiobooks, comedy albums and cast albums. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com