AFTRA Elects Board Members

AFTRA announced the results late Wednesday of its Los Angeles Local elections. The seats in play included those on the national and local boards, and delegates to the AFTRA national convention this summer.This election cycle carried extra weight because it arrived in the midst of voting on SAG's controversial TV-theatrical contract and because of the candidacy of several dual card-holders running for office despite their antagonism toward AFTRA.As it happens, Membership First partisans did pick up some local and national board seats—vocal AFTRA critics Anne-Marie Johnson and Alan Ruck were elected to the AFTRA national board, and David Jolliffe was elected to the L.A. Local board.The complete results are as follows:Actor Ron Morgan was re-elected president of AFTRA Los Angeles and will begin his new two-year term July 1; he ran unopposed. Morgan also was elected to the national board for a four-year term, and he serves as a national vp of the union.Uncontested in their re-election for two-year terms as officers for AFTRA Los Angeles were first vp Susan Boyd Joyce, a singer; actor Gabrielle Carteris, second vp; third vp Bobbie Bates, a dancer; fourth vp Jason George, an actor; recording secretary Patrika Darbo, an actor; and actor Jay Gerber continues as treasurer.Re-elected to three-year terms on the Los Angeles Local Board of Directors were actors David Bowe, Raza Burgee, Andrew Caple-Shaw, Gabrielle Carteris, Bob Joles, Kate Linder, and Paul Napier; announcer Mike Sakellarides; dancer Galen Hooks; broadcaster Pepe Barreto; and singers Susan Boyd Joyce and Dick Wells. Incoming Los Angeles Local Board members include actors David Andriole, Mimi Cozzens, David Jolliffe, Marcia Strassman; and announcer Chuck Southcott.AFTRA National Board members from the Los Angeles Local re-elected to four-year terms include actors Gabrielle Carteris, Jay Gerber, Ron Morgan, and Paul Petersen; dancer Bobbie Bates; and singers Susan Boyd Joyce and Sally Stevens. Newly elected to the AFTRA National Board are actors Anne-Marie Johnson, D.W. Moffett, Jason Priestley and Ruck.Membership First partisans, who lost their majority on the SAG national board last fall, are against any kind of merger with AFTRA and campaigned heavily against the ratification of AFTRA's TV-theatrical contract last year (SAG's own TV-theatrical deal hangs in the balance until June 9). Critics of Membership First candidates on the AFTRA ballot have surmised that Johnson and her compatriots hope to wreak havoc with AFTRA's viability from the inside.Further muddying the waters, in the midst of the May voting window Membership First partisans on the local SAG Hollywood Board voted on a motion put forth by a former AFTRA member that proposed that "a task force of Hollywood board members only be formed, to explore the acquisition of actors of AFTRA." Critics labeled this an effort at raiding, which would place it in violation of SAG and AFTRA's recently established nondisparagement agreement.The presence of Johnson, Ruck and Jolliffe in AFTRA decision-making circles could ultimately affect policy that would benefit their efforts within SAG.A total of 198 L.A. Delegates to AFTRA's 62nd National Convention were also elected. The convention will be held Aug. 6-8 in Chicago. The AFTRA National Board terms begin at the conclusion of this summer's National Convention, just as SAG's election season heats up.A total of 3,262 valid ballots were received in the AFTRA Los Angeles election.Results of the AFTRA New York Local elections were announced Tuesday.Source: THR.com

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AFTRA Elects Board Members

Jay A. Fernandez

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Jay A. Fernandez