THE STATE OF VOICEOVER
2026 VOICEOVER SURVEY
Part five
SAG-AFTRA global rule one
PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION TRUTHFULLY:
If you are a full member of SAG-AFTRA, have you ever done unsanctioned non-union work (eg, work off the card, break Global Rule #1, etc).
Reminder: all the data collected here is completely anonymous.
“Out of our 1379 survey takers, 154 members of SAG-AFTRA answered YES to the question: “IF YOU ARE A FULL MEMBER OF SAG-AFTRA, HAVE YOU EVER DONE UNSANCTIONED NON-UNION WORK (EG, WORK OFF THE CARD, BREAK GLOBAL RULE #1, ETC).”
sag-aftra definition of global rule one
Global Rule One States
No member shall render any services or make an agreement to perform services for any employer who has not executed a basic minimum agreement with the union, which is in full force and effect, in any jurisdiction in which there is a SAG-AFTRA national collective bargaining agreement in place. This provision applies worldwide.
Here are additional comments submitted from multiple survey takers regarding the breaking of Global Rule One in their careers:
There is simply more and better paying non-union work than Union work
SAG-AFTRA is not doing enough to keep work Union
Not enough Union opportunities in foreign language/regional/international markets
It feels like SAG-AFTRA does not support voice actors
I don’t want to ruin relationships with recurring non-union clients