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Exclusive: Dues payable by SAG-AFTRA’s high-earning members will be going up over the next two years, per a resolution passed at the union’s recently-concluded 5th biennial convention. The dues hike will be achieved by increasing the maximum earnings on which members pay their percentage of work dues.

The dues cap on work earnings, which has not been raised since the merger of SAG and AFTRA in 2012, is currently set at $500,000, but will be going up to $750,000 in May of 2022, and to $1 million in May of 2023.

The resolution passed at the convention states:

Whereas, member dues are the main means by which SAG-AFTRA is able to fund its work on behalf of members, and

Whereas, those resources underpin all essential SAG-AFTRA initiatives, including contract negotiations and enforcement, safety protocols and rules, diversity, equity, and inclusion, residuals processing, and countless other activities protecting our members; and

Whereas, it is essential...

Towanda Underdue has been elected to the national board of SAG-AFTRA representing the union’s Washington-Mid Atlantic local. Underdue, whose many credits include House of Cards and Veep, defeated Lance Lewman 486 votes to 425.

Fran Drescher, running for national president at the top of the Unite for Strength slate, posted a campaign video supporting Lewman, but her camp considers Underdue “an ally.” The opposition MembershipFirst slate, headed by Matthew Modine, said before the votes were counted that they are “advocating for Towanda,” noting that she “is an independent.”

Underdue told Deadline that “both sides seem to be supporting me.” You can see Dresher’s campaign video supporting her rival here.

In her campaign statement, Underdue said: “I want to be a voice that bridges the needs of our Mid-Atlantic Local chapter with those of the National chapter so that we all can shine as bright.”

Jack Speer, running unopposed, was elected...

Exclusive: Candidates backed by Fran Drescher in local SAG-AFTRA elections are racking up impressive wins as early results from around the country continue to come in. Candidates that her Unite for Strength slate deem “Drescher-friendly” already have won in Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston-Austin, Miami, the Missouri Valley, Portland, San Francisco, the Twin Cities and elsewhere.

Members backed by the opposition MembershipFirst slate have won just a handful of races thus far.

Today, members of the union’s Michigan Local re-elected Erik Wydra as president, who Drescher endorsed in a campaign video in which she said: “You must, must, must vote for Eric Wydra for Michigan Local president. He’s been an incredible leader locally and nationally.” Wydra got 132 votes, defeating challenger Franco Pulice, who received 55 votes. Three of the four convention delegates Drescher endorsed also won there.

Only 11 of the union’s 25 locals have completed their elections so far, while...