Published by Select Casting
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One of the first questions producers ask when they open a casting brief is also one of the most misunderstood: should this be a union job or non-union?
It sounds like a simple checkbox. It’s not. The choice touches your budget, your timeline, your talent pool, and — if you get it wrong — your legal exposure. And unlike most production decisions, there’s no universal right answer. The right call depends on your project, your client, and what flexibility you actually have.
Here’s how to think through it.
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What “Union” Actually Means for Voiceover
When we say “union voiceover,” we’re almost always talking about SAG-AFTRA — the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which merged in 2012. SAG-AFTRA covers the vast majority of union voice talent in the US.
Working under SAG-AFTRA means:
- You sign a signatory agreement (or use a signatory production house). If your agency or client isn’t already a SAG-AFTRA signatory, someone in the chain needs to be.
- You pay scale rates or above. The union publishes rate minimums — for commercials, the Commercials Contract governs broadcast and cable, while the New Media Contract covers digital/streaming. Scale rates vary by market, media type, and usage.
- You pay pension and health (P&H) contributions on top of talent fees — currently 21.5% of all compensation, paid to the union by the employer.
- You follow session procedures — formal bookings, session fees, residuals if applicable, and specific rules around session length and usage.
On the non-union side, there’s no governing body. Rates are negotiated directly between the talent (or their rep) and the production. No P&H, no signatory requirement, and more flexibility on usage terms.
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The Case for Union Talent
Union doesn’t always mean better, but it does mean access to the most established commercial voice talent in the country — and in certain contexts, that matters.
Signatory agencies. If your agency is a SAG-AFTRA signatory, union casting isn’t a choice — it’s a requirement, regardless of where the spot airs. That said, signatory status is common among established ad agencies, and for good reason: it gives you access to the deepest, most experienced pool of commercial voice talent in the country.
Established brand voices. When a Fortune 500 company has been working with the same voice actor for five years, that voice is likely SAG-AFTRA. Continuity matters for brand recognition, and the talent protection union membership provides keeps top performers in the union system.
Signatory status determines the call. If either the ad agency or the brand itself holds SAG-AFTRA signatory status, union talent is required — full stop. This isn’t a preference; it’s a contractual obligation.
Brands with in-house production teams often become direct signatories themselves. Agencies become signatories to handle union hiring on behalf of their clients. Either way, if signatory status exists anywhere in the production chain, the job goes union. Always confirm before the brief goes out.
Residuals as a feature, not a bug. If your campaign genuinely runs for a long time at scale, residual structures can actually work in your favor as a negotiating tool with talent. “This spot might run nationally for two years” is different math for non-union talent than it is for union talent covered by scale.
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Union Is Often More Accessible Than You Think
Before assuming a union session is out of reach, it’s worth knowing that SAG-AFTRA has programs designed specifically to make union production more accessible — even for smaller clients and independent productions.
One Production Only (OPO). This program allows a non-signatory producer to hire union talent for a single campaign or project — no ongoing signatory commitment required. SAG-AFTRA’s OPO contracts are one page, fast to execute, and give you access to the same terms full signatories enjoy. The rates are more accessible than most producers expect:
- A television commercial VO can be as little as $763.60
- An audio-only commercial can be as little as $427.92
- An industrial VO can be as little as $661.38
(Rates are inclusive of benefit plan contributions — no hidden add-ons.)
If you’ve been assuming union is out of reach on budget, those numbers may change the conversation. SAG-AFTRA even offers free talent cost estimates through their team at adsgounion@sagaftra.org.
The talent quality argument. The top commercial voice actors in the country — the ones with decades of national broadcast experience, the ones whose voices you already recognize — are largely union. If your campaign warrants that level of talent, the union route gets you there.
If budget is the hesitation, reach out to us before ruling out union. OPO makes it more accessible than most people think.
When Non-Union Makes Sense
Non-union voiceover has grown significantly in quality and professionalism over the last decade. There are legitimate production scenarios where non-union is simply the practical fit — not because it’s a better option, but because of how the project is structured.
Digital and social campaigns. Much digital-only work — social ads, pre-roll, programmatic — is produced non-union. If your client isn’t a SAG-AFTRA signatory and the work is digital-only, non-union is often the cleaner path.
Clients without signatory status. Regional brands, DTC companies, and startups often aren’t SAG-AFTRA signatories. Going union would require engaging a signatory production house. If that infrastructure isn’t in place, non-union keeps the project moving.
Flat buyout projects. Non-union talent typically works on flat buyout structures — one known cost, no residual liability. For short campaigns with a defined scope, that predictability has value.
Shorter turnaround. Non-union sessions can move with fewer administrative steps. If speed is the primary constraint, that’s worth knowing.
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The Hybrid Problem (and Why It Matters)
Here’s where a lot of producers get into trouble: you can’t freely mix union and non-union talent on the same job.
SAG-AFTRA has a rule called the “fi-core” or “financial core” election, and there’s also the Rule One issue: union members generally can’t work non-union jobs for union signatory companies. If you’re a union signatory and you hire a SAG-AFTRA member as a non-union talent — or you hire a mix of union and non-union on the same session — you’re in a gray zone that can create real legal and labor exposure.
The practical rule: decide union or non-union before you open the brief, not after you’ve heard auditions.
If you fall in love with a union actor’s audition and you weren’t planning to go union, you have two options: convert the job to union (with all the associated cost and process implications) or move on and find a non-union talent who fits the brief. Getting attached to a specific voice and trying to bend the rules around it is how producers create expensive problems.
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What About “Going Fi-Core”?
You’ll occasionally hear about SAG-AFTRA members who’ve declared “fi-core” — financial core status — which allows them to work non-union jobs while remaining in the union. It’s legal and it happens, but it’s a complicated status. Fi-core talent may be less available, and some agents won’t rep them for union work anymore. Don’t build your casting strategy around finding fi-core talent specifically. If it comes up, work with Select Casting or your talent agent to navigate it correctly.
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Rates: What to Expect
Union rates are set by contract and are more accessible than most people expect. Under SAG-AFTRA’s One Production Only (OPO) program:
- TV commercial VO: as little as $763.60
- Audio-only commercial: as little as $427.92
- Industrial VO: as little as $661.38
(Rates are inclusive of benefit plan contributions — no hidden add-ons.)
For full signatory productions, rates are governed by the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract and vary by market, usage, and term. SAG-AFTRA offers free talent cost estimates at adsgounion@sagaftra.org.
Non-union rates are negotiated directly and vary by usage, territory, and term. Based on real productions posted on Select Casting (2022–2026), session fees typically run $350–$500, with usage fees ranging from ~$500 for short regional radio runs to $2,500+ for national TV broadcast at one year. Agent fees add 20% where applicable.
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The Bottom Line
Union vs. non-union isn’t a quality call — it’s a logistics, budget, and compliance call. Start every project by answering those three questions before the brief goes out.
If you’re still not sure which way to go, we’re happy to help you think it through. Select Casting works with both union and non-union talent across all media types — and getting this question right early saves you the much more expensive conversation of getting it wrong late. Reach out and we’ll point you in the right direction.
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Select Casting handles both union and non-union voiceover casting for ad agencies, production companies, and brands. Contact us if you need help figuring out the right structure for your next campaign — we’re happy to point you in the right direction.
