SAG-AFTRA projects 17% grow in dues revenue

The combined SAG-AFTRA is forecasted to usher in 17% more in member dues revenues -- or near to $a million per month -- compared to unions now generate separate organizations, based on court papers stemming in the suit filed recently trying to bar the merger.Screen Stars Guild chief financial officer Arianna Ozzanto made the disclosure included in SAG's motions towards the suit filed by Martin Sheen and 60 other stars. A hearing continues to be looking for March 26 -- four days prior to the unions are skedded to count the votes within the merger referendum.Merger backers haven't formerly revealed just how much the entire dues revenues could be if the unions mix."The quantity of dues presently forecasted to become received by SAG-AFTRA for that billing year that starts on May 1, 2012, is forecasted to become roughly $six million monthly,Inch Ozzanto stated. "Thus, SAG-AFTRA will forfeit $six million for every month that any merger of SAG-AFTRA is postponed. The main difference between the quantity of dues that could have been could be due to SAG individually and also to AFTRA individually when the merger doesn't happen is roughly $982,000 monthly.InchThe suit, filed February. 22, alleges that SAG and it is leaders are trying to merge using the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists "without performing the required research." SAG has labeled the suit "a obvious attempt for circumventing the desire from the membership" and "a pr stunt" and it has gone to live in write it off.Ozzanto noted in her own declaration when the merger is not consummated, it isn't realistic for SAG to gather dues on the month-to-month basis since SAG dues are calculated with an annual basis with six several weeks from the dues due at the outset of each billing year. "We don't possess the software in position to transmit a bill for just one month," she stated. "Additionally, because the current dues structure is mandated through the SAG metabolic rate, we're able to not achieve this anyway."For that fiscal year ended April 30, SAG dues came to $48.8 million and AFTRA's totaled $22.5 million, based on the LM-2 reviews filed through the unions using the U.S. Labor Dept. SAG's base dues are $116 yearly and 1.85% of earnings as much as $200,000, plus .5% of earnings between $200,000- $500,000 and .25% of earnings between $500,000-$a million.AFTRA's base dues are $127.80 plus 1.49% of earnings as much as $100,000 and .274% of earnings between $100,000 - $250,000.The dues structure within the merger might find base dues for dual card holders will fall nearly 20% from $243 to $198 each year with working dues of just one.575% of earnings as much as $500,000, aside from tv stations, would pay 1.575% of earnings as much as $100,000 plus .274% as much as $250,000.SAG's filings also incorporated a declaration from SAG general counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland revealing that SAG's national board chosen in 2008 to terminate the Phase I agreement, which spells the guidelines for joint discussions and making plans toward merger. In March, 2008, AFTRA leaders angrily split from joint talks with SAG the very first time in 30 years carrying out a dispute over stars attempting to switch jurisdiction on the cleaning soap opera from AFTRA to SAG. SAG hadn't formerly revealed the Phase I termination, based on plaintiffs' attorney David Casselman of Wasserman, Comden, Casselman & Esensten. He told Variety he will attack the possible lack of disclosure to people inside a court filing, saying that constitutional needs covering pre-merger studies were never suspended."SAG takes the positioning to prevent imposition from the necessary injunction, that the 2008 suspension allowing discussions to visit forward, permanently ended all individuals protections the people reasonably believe controlled the committee studies prior to the suggested merger," he added The unfiltered SAG claim on the contrary, never revealed to SAG people, are only able to be referred to like a unfaithfulness and stunning breach of the fiduciary responsibilities." Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com