The SAG-AFTRA Union has released a Personal Manager Code of Ethics and Conduct
SAG-AFTRA has unveiled its Personal Manager Code of Ethics and Conduct, a set of guidelines the union hopes will promote honest and ethical relationships between its members and their managers.
This is the first step for the Union to provide a sense of ethical guidelines for managers. They previously worked closely with talent agencies and provided a framework that members and talent agents should follow.
The guidelines create distinctions between what a manger does and what an agent is supposed to do. They point out that managers hould not also be agents and that managers should help find members agents.
A copy of the Personal Manager Code of Ethics and Conduct can be viewed at www.sagaftra.org/managers.
The provisions include:
- Putting the member’s interests above their own and not deriving personal gain at member’s expense.
- Being truthful and acting in an honest, ethical and appropriate manner.
- Acknowledging they will not solicit employment for their client, except under the control and direction of a franchised agent.
- Encouraging SAG-AFTRA member clients to uphold their obligations to the union.
- Keeping SAG-AFTRA member clients’ funds segregated in an escrow or trust account.
- Never using self-renewing provisions or collecting upfront/advance fees or charges of any kind.
- Respecting and supporting the relationship SAG-AFTRA members have with their talent agents.
- Not being licensed by any state as a talent or employment agency.
- Assisting a SAG-AFTRA member client’s search for a talent agent.
- Agreeing to arbitrate disputes through SAG-AFTRA.
“The establishment of the Personal Manager Code of Ethics and Conduct is a true ‘win-win,’ assuring important protections for SAG-AFTRA members while providing significant and meaningful benefits to our listed personal managers,” said SAG-AFTRA chief operating officer and general counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.
Manager Gerry Pass of Chrome Artists Management said he was excited about the new guidelines.
“Today marks a great step forward in honest and ethical talent representation,” he said. “This is SAG-AFTRA’s recognition of the vital work that managers do on behalf of actors, while at the same time we see all talent managers held to a higher standard.”
