AFTRA Sound Recordings Agreement Sent to Members for Approval

Posted January 05, 2012

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK (Jan. 5, 2012) – The National Administrative Committee 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 who work across the spectrum of media industries including television, radio, cable, sound recordings and digital media – voted yesterday to send a new, successor agreement to AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Sound Recordings to members for ratification.

The Committee’s approval, which recommends a “yes” vote on the deal, authorized ratification materials to be mailed today to paid-up AFTRA members who had earnings under the AFTRA Sound Recordings Code from July 1, 2007 to Dec. 31, 2011. The materials will include instructions for electronic voting, and members’ votes must be cast by January 30, 2012 to be counted.

The current Sound Recordings Code expired on Dec. 31, 2011.  If ratified, the new contract will be effective January 1, 2012 and run through December 31, 2014.

AFTRA members achieved an increase in base rates, as well as the key objective of increasing employer contributions to the AFTRA Health and Retirement Funds.  Highlights of the contract, which is subject to ratification, include:

• Increase in base rates by more than 6% over the term of the agreement (2% increases effective each year of the contract)
• Increase in the employer health and retirement contribution rate on royalty income by 1% over the life of the agreement
• Maintained required special employer contributions which guarantee health insurance benefits for royalty artists on the current “roster” of a label, by increasing the maximum on employer contributions by 30%, from $5,000 to $6,500 per year
• Improved and expanded performers’ base of participation in revenue from sale of digital downloads
• Established a new structure of revenue-based payments for new areas of low budget licenses and licenses for non-traditional usages, such as re-use of recordings in novelty consumer products, which will also enhance compliance and expedite payments to members

The Sound Recordings Code, which originated in 1951 as the American Federation of Radio Artists (AFRA) Phonograph Recording Code, covers session singers, royalty artists, announcers, actors, comedians, narrators and sound effects artists who work on recordings in all new and traditional media and all music formats, in addition to audiobooks, comedy albums and cast albums. The Code generates more than $140 million annually in AFTRA-covered earnings and benefits for both major artists and session singers around the country.

A summary of the tentative agreement is posted at http://www.aftra.com/SRC_2012.htm. Members who work under the Sound Recordings Code can email their questions to: soundrecordings2012@aftra.com.

About AFTRA
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO, are the people who entertain and inform America. In 32 Locals across the country, AFTRA members work as actors, broadcasters, singers, dancers, announcers, hosts, comedians, disc jockeys and other performers across the media industries including television, radio, cable, sound recordings, music videos, commercials, audio books, non-broadcast industrials, interactive games, the Internet and other digital media. The 70,000 professional performers, broadcasters and recording artists of AFTRA are working together to protect and improve their jobs, lives and communities in the 21st century. From new art forms to new technology, AFTRA members embrace change in their work and craft to enhance American culture and society. Visit AFTRA online at www.aftra.com.

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