WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BECOMING A MEMBER OF ACTRA?

Full Members

What you pay for as a Full Member:

1.    $195.00 annual dues.

2.    2.0% working dues of your Gross Fees to a maximum of $4000 per year.

3.    4% of your Gross Fees to Insurance & Retirement.

What you get:

1.   Preference of Engagement: If you match the description and qualifications of a role that the producer or casting director wants to work permit a non-member for, your Union fights for you.

2.   The various other articles negotiated in our Collective Agreements (overtime, turnaround, meal penalties, minimum calls, grievance procedures, etc.) that prevent producers from exploiting Performers.

3.   The Performers Rights Society that monitors productions and collects residuals for Performers.

4.   A comprehensive Insurance and Retirement Plan that specifically monitors the needs of Canadian Performers and their families to tailor policies that are meaningful to your lifestyle. This includes a scholarship program that we encourage Members and their dependants to access.  For more information about ACTRA Fraternal Benefits Society, contact benefits@actrafrat.com, or call toll free: 1-800-387-8897.

5.   Voting rights: The ability to cast a ballot in strike and ratification votes and the ability to elect and be elected to your local Branch Council or to National Council as a voice of your local.  You also have input in the bargaining process in terms of creating and presenting proposals to ACTRA's negotiating committees.

6.   Face to Face Online: ACTRA's search specific online talent database.  Click here for more information on Face to Face Online.  This service is free to our Members to use as a promotional tool.  You can post your resume, up to 10 pictures as well as video and audio clips.

Apprentice Members

What you pay for as an Apprentice Member:

1.   $75.00 annual dues.

2.   $43.75 to $343.75 for work permits depending on the type of role & type of production until you are eligible to become a Full Member.

3.   10% + GST on your Gross Fees as a service charge on commercial residual payments until you become a Full Member.

4.   4% to Insurance and Retirement (When you become a Full Member, ACTRA will reimburse this fee for the previous 2 years as an Apprentice into an RRSP managed by ACTRA Fraternal Benefits Society.)

What you get:

1.   Preference of Engagement: If you match the description and qualifications of a role that the producer or casting director wants to work permit a non-member for, your Union fights for you.

2.   The various other articles negotiated in our Collective Agreements (overtime, turnaround, meal penalties, minimum calls, grievance procedures, etc.) that prevent producers from exploiting Performers.

3.   The Performers Rights Society that monitors productions and collects residuals for Performers.

4.   Voting rights:

Strike or Ratification Votes:  Apprentice members who have provided satisfactory proof to ACTRA that they have completed three professional engagements in a residual category under the applicable ACTRA Agreement during the term of the expiring or expired Agreement will have a right to cast a ballot in a Strike or Ratification vote for the successor Agreement.  Similarly, those Apprentice members who have provided satisfactory proof to ACTRA that they have worked in Background roles for at least eight work days per year for each year of the term of the applicable Agreement that is expiring or has expired, while they were an Apprentice member.

Local & National Council Elections:  Apprentice members do not currently have the ability to elect and be elected to their local Branch Council or to National Council as a voice of their local.  ACTRA Alberta has an Apprentice Caucus who meet regularly to bring issue affecting Apprentices to light; they recommend policy and action to the Branch Council.  Apprentice Members have input in the bargaining process in terms of creating and presenting proposals to ACTRA's negotiating committees.

It is important to remember that in cases where perhaps you are not eligible to vote, you still have a voice.  You can get involved in issues and committees to lobby your local Council (who in turn have the ability to lobby National Council) to make changes in policy for the betterment of the Membership and Canadian Performers in general.

5.   Face to Face Online: ACTRA's search specific online talent database.  Click here for more information on Face to Face Online.  This service is free to our Members to use as a promotional tool.  You can post your resume, up to 10 pictures as well as video and audio clips.

ACTRA Extras

What you pay for as an ACTRA Extra:

1.   $30.00 annual dues.

2.   2.0% working dues of your Gross Fees to a maximum of $3000 per year.

3.   $52.50 to $412.50 for work permits depending on the type of role & type of production until you are eligible to become a Full Member.  Please note that if you are cast in a role that is higher than a Background Performer category, you will then be eligible to join the ACTRA Apprenticeship Program.

4.   10% + GST on your Gross Fees as a service charge on commercial residual payments until you become a Full Member.

5.   4% to Insurance and Retirement (This lowers the costs of our comprehensive group insurance coverage.  You do not benefit from the insurance & retirement benefits until you become a Full member, any deductions from your paycheques should not be reported as income when you file your income taxes.

What you get:

In joining, you are becoming a member of Canada's largest professional Performers' union.  You will be protected by ACTRA Collective Agreements and have input into the bargaining process as it affects your wages and working conditions.  ACTRA Extras have the benefit of the union's negotiating power with producers that through the collective bargaining process will result in:

1.   Better wages.

2.   Better working conditions.

3.   Improved job opportunities.

4.   Better protection under ACTRA's Collective Agreements.

Other advantages include the creation of an ACTRA Extra Caucus (within larger branches) to identify and investigate on-set issues of concern to ACTRA Extras, monitor relations between performers and agents, look at the establishment of a central casting system to better protect and promote background performers, and debate and present proposals to ACTRA's negotiating committees.

It is important to remember that in cases where perhaps you are not eligible to vote, you still have a voice.  You can get involved in issues and committees to lobby your local Council (who in turn have the ability to lobby National Council) to make changes in policy for the betterment of the Membership and Canadian Performers in general.

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