It was only a year ago that the Screen Actors Guild reached a deal with television and film producers, after a nearly year-long, very acrimonious battle. The guild went into the fight without their usual ally, AFTRA, which broke ranks with SAG to negotiate directly with television producers.

Now AFTRA and SAG are joining forces again to begin negotiations with the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers for a new contract to start in July of 2011. Both unions within the last few weeks have ratified an agreement to jointly bargain, under the terms of the previous Phase 1 agreement. But board members are careful to point out that Phase 1—which was intended to be the first step to merger 30 years ago—has not be reconstituted. The two unions are simply bargaining under the same terms.

AFTRA and SAG joined forces last year, in the midst of the TV/Film producers dispute, to successfully negotiate a two-year extension on their contract with advertisers. The unions hope to sit down with the AMPTP as early as October.