The Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television & Radio Artists did not let a hurricane keep them from their planned meeting over merging their unions.
What had been planned as face-to-face meetings in New York became a videoconference and teleconference between New York and Los Angeles due to Hurricane Irene. The G1 (Group for One Union) meeting was Aug. 27-29.
Both sides said they made "important progress," though they did not specify beyond saying they talked "strategy, approaches, and structures."
The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 14-18 in Los Angeles.
The decision to merge the unions was partially a response to the consolidation of the studios and networks that employ its members. The first meeting between the two unions over the merger plan was in June in Silver Spring, Md., following a May vote by both national boards to get together.
Together the unions represent almost 200,000 broadcast and film actors and performers.
