Should Voice Actors Join SAG-AFTRA?

Tom Dheere
Jan 21
5 min read

Navigating the Union Maze

Few topics in the voice-over world can start a holy war faster than the discussion about joining SAG-AFTRA as a voice actor.

For some, SAG-AFTRA is the protector of the realm, the only thing standing between professional talent and low-balling clients.

For others, it's an outdated gatekeeper in a rapidly changing industry.

Then there’s the Fi-Core option, which gets its own special brand of vitriol.

The conversation is often packed with emotion, assumption, and a whole lot of confusion. My goal here is not to tell you what to do. It’s to give you a strategic, business-focused breakdown so you can make an informed decision for yourself.

What IS SAG-AFTRA?

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was formed in 1933, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) in 1937. They were created for the same reason most unions are: to protect workers through collective bargaining, ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions.

They merged in 2012 to form SAG-AFTRA, which today represents over 160,000 performers. Their purpose is to negotiate and enforce contracts (or "agreements") that set minimum pay rates and working standards for its members.

a blue building with the words "SAG-AFTRA" on it

Understanding Your Union Status

Your relationship with SAG-AFTRA comes down to one of three statuses:

Union (SAG-AFTRA Member): You've officially joined. You pay an initiation fee and annual dues. You are obligated to follow all union rules, most notably Global Rule One (see the definition below).
Non-Union: You are not a member. You are free to work for any client, union or non-union, but you must negotiate all your own terms and rates.
Financial Core (Fi-Core): This is a legal status, not a union one. Through a loophole in national labor laws, you can resign from the union but continue to pay fees for the union work you do. This allows you to work both union and non-union jobs, but you lose all rights and privileges of membership.

Key Terms You MUST Know

The union debate is filled with jargon so here are some common terms...

Global Rule One: This states that no SAG-AFTRA member can work for an employer who hasn't signed a union contract. In simple terms: once you're in, you can only do union work (with a few exceptions we'll cover).
The Taft-Hartley Act: This law allows a non-union performer to accept their first union job without immediately joining. You get "Taft-Hartleyed." After this, a 30-day window opens during which you can do more union work. Once that window closes, you become a "must-join," and you cannot do another union job until you become a SAG-AFTRA member.
Right-To-Work States: In the 25+ states with "Right-to-Work" laws, you cannot be forced to join a union as a condition of employment. This means you can theoretically keep getting Taft-Hartleyed and never become a "must-join." However, if you voluntarily join SAG-AFTRA in a Right-to-Work state, you are still bound by Global Rule One.
Converting & Non-Jurisdictional Work: Can a union member do non-union work? Sometimes. You can sometimes convert a non-union job to a union one using a signatory paymaster service. More importantly, there is a whole category of non-jurisdictional work—voice-over genres not covered by any SAG-AFTRA agreement (like radio imaging or some narration). Union members are free to do this work without violating GR1.

Pros and Cons for Voice Actors

There is no universally "best" choice for voice actors joining SAG-AFTRA. Each path comes with significant trade-offs.

Being a SAG-AFTRA Member

Pros: Access to union-only jobs, minimum guaranteed rates, residuals on some contracts, health and retirement plans (if you meet the earning threshold), and a powerful organization to ensure you get paid on time.
Cons: A hefty initiation fee (around $3,000), annual dues, and being unable to work with non-union clients due to Global Rule One. FYI only about 20% of voice over work these days is union work.

Being Non-Union

Pros: Total freedom. You can work with anyone, anywhere. You are the CEO of your own business and keep 100% of your revenue (after taxes, of course).
Cons: You are on your own. You must find your own health insurance, fund your own retirement, and chase down every invoice. You have to be disciplined in setting and maintaining fair rates for yourself. You're also responsible for your own legal protection when things get weird.

Going Fi-Core

Pros: The ability to work both union and non-union jobs, which can seem like the best of both worlds.
Cons: You lose all member benefits—voting rights, discounts, workshops, etc. More importantly, you will be viewed as a "scab" by many union members and producers, which can have reputational consequences.

My Non-Union, Pro-Union Perspective

I believe in the power of collective bargaining. I believe every worker deserves a living wage and access to benefits. I am pro-union in principle.

I am also, for strategic reasons, a non-union voice actor.

My career evolved in the non-union world. If I were to join SAG-AFTRA today, the business math is simple but brutal:

I would pay a $3,000 fee with zero guarantee of getting a single union job.
I would instantly lose nearly every client I have spent over three decades cultivating.
I would still have to pay for my own health insurance and retirement plans, because making the union's earning threshold for benefits (over $26k/year from union work) would be an uphill battle.

What Are Your Assumptions?

The choice to join the union, stay non-union, or go Fi-Core is not just about money or politics. It's about examining your assumptions.

Do you assume joining the union guarantees high-paying work?
Do you assume being non-union means you're undercutting the industry?
Do you assume going Fi-Core is a magic bullet with no consequences?

Non-union does not necessarily mean anti-union. Non-union does not necessarily mean unethical. And non-union does not necessarily mean cheap.

I charge fair rates based on the GVAA Rate Guide and turn down low-paying work all the time. Meanwhile, some union members quietly violate GR1 every day because they have bills to pay. Don't believe me? Read this section of the NAVA 2025 Survey.

Your path depends on your career goals, your target genres, where you live, and your personal values. Do the autopsy on your own assumptions, weigh the opportunity costs, and build the career that makes sense for your business.

Helpful Links

SAG-AFTRA Main Site: www.sag-aftra.com
SAG-AFTRA Voiceover Page: sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/voiceover
Understanding Fi-Core: www.sagaftra.org/financial-core
The Taft-Hartley Act: www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/who-we-are/our-history/1947-taft-hartley-substantive-provisions
List of Right-To-Work States: www.upcounsel.com/right-to-work-states

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