Actors union ratifies deal with Hollywood studios

AFTRA said 62.4 percent of voting members approved the three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

"Today's vote reflects the ability of AFTRA members to recognize a solid contract when they see it," AFTRA President Roberta Reardon said in a statement.

The vote came after fierce opposition by the rival Screen Actors Guild, the last major Hollywood union still negotiating with the studios for a new three-year contract. SAG contended a separate deal with AFTRA would dilute its clout at the bargaining table.

SAG represents 120,000 actors in movies, TV and other media. The TV and radio federation has 70,000 members including actors, singers, announcers and journalists. SAG and AFTRA share 44,000 dual members.

The contracts of both unions expired June 30, but both agreed with the studios to keep working under the old terms to avoid a shutdown of the entertainment industry.

Reardon said the vote was unusual because of the "unprecedented disinformation campaign aimed at interfering with our ratification process," and she blamed SAG for politically motivated attacks.

Reardon called on the two warring actors unions to discuss a merger in the months to come.

Studios and the actors unions have said they wanted to avoid another work stoppage like the 100-day strike by the Writers Guild of America that ended in February. That walkout stalled production on dozens of TV shows and is estimated to have cost the Los Angeles-area economy more than $2 billion.

AFTRA said its three-year deal, involving a handful of prime-time TV shows such as "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Rules of Engagement," establishes higher fees for downloaded content and residual payments for ad-supported Internet streams and clips.