Los Angeles, CA (06/23/2023)—Veronica Bruce announces her run for Los Angeles Vice President. Veronica Bruce has been a SAG-AFTRA member since 2015. She began her professional on-camera career in Chicago, gaining her union card there, and later ventured out to Los Angeles for the promise of more opportunities and better weather. “Like most performers in Los Angeles, I depend on the union’s minimums. I won’t lose sight of the necessity of more opportunities for lesser-known performers - who account for the overwhelming majority of our membership.”
Veronica’s successful career in wellness and somatic coaching is rooted in her empathy and sensitivity for working with others. Personal transformation and liberation are the sources of her strong leadership skills. “Welcoming people in, empowering them to take action, and allowing conflict to generate change are important for a Vice President. The strength of the union is in each and every member. All members must feel like their contribution to the industry is valued,” Veronica said of the position. “Whether it’s an audition or through a booking, WE make the entertainment
industry.” It’s time for the union to again provide respect for all performers.
“It didn’t seem like there was any other choice but to run,” Veronica says. Seeking the protections of the union, Veronica found herself talking in circles with legal counsel. “It has been unsettling to experience first-hand SAG-AFTRA’s refusal to take their legal responsibility to enforce our contracts and hold producers accountable. It appears as if SAG-AFTRA works more for the benefit of producers than our performers. The roadblocks of many staff members, elected representatives, and governmental agencies is proving to be negligent and deeply concerning.”
Contracts and policies have abandoned members in the past. Seniors were thrown off the health plan in 2020, and the lawsuit defending these members in Ed Asner et al v SAG Health Plan was settled for $20.6 million. In 2020, members over 40 also lost the benefit of “Age and Service” criteria for health insurance. Residuals are abysmal, and union jobs are fewer. “We are not 160,000 members strong but a union 160,000 members weak because such a small percentage make a living and receive benefits,” Veronica added.
Veronica is running to hold SAG-AFTRA accountable to fulfilling its mission and role as a labor union. She cites that over the last 3 years, policies and lack of enforcement of the Return to Work Agreement have cast aside members who were already discriminated against. Further, Background Talent wages were degraded with little to no benefit to those performers. Their covid stipends paid out a contribution percentage towards pension and health while principal talent stipends did not. She emphasized, “When most background performers don’t earn enough to receive health insurance and pension credits, who is benefiting from their contributions? The union is meant to protect those performers who depend on minimums, not take advantage of them.”
Veronica says that union press releases control and limit the information that general membership receives. Los Angeles members have asked for expanded open local board meetings and open National Board meetings in the past to no avail. “With how the union touts the democratic model, it seems odd that SAG-AFTRA meetings aren't open to the general membership. There should be more documentation of our elected representatives' actions. We need more transparency.”
The two main factions in the Los Angeles Local are Membership First (MF) and Unite for Strength (UFS). “It’s time SAG-AFTRA representatives serve our members, not a predetermined party agenda. Let's engage more involvement within the union and have collaborative generosity in our industry. Vote for Independents. I’m committed to taking actions for the benefit of ALL performers by finding common ground so we can all move forward confidently and abundantly into the future together.”
Veronica’s successful career in wellness and somatic coaching is rooted in her empathy and sensitivity for working with others. Personal transformation and liberation are the sources of her strong leadership skills. “Welcoming people in, empowering them to take action, and allowing conflict to generate change are important for a Vice President. The strength of the union is in each and every member. All members must feel like their contribution to the industry is valued,” Veronica said of the position. “Whether it’s an audition or through a booking, WE make the entertainment
industry.” It’s time for the union to again provide respect for all performers.
“It didn’t seem like there was any other choice but to run,” Veronica says. Seeking the protections of the union, Veronica found herself talking in circles with legal counsel. “It has been unsettling to experience first-hand SAG-AFTRA’s refusal to take their legal responsibility to enforce our contracts and hold producers accountable. It appears as if SAG-AFTRA works more for the benefit of producers than our performers. The roadblocks of many staff members, elected representatives, and governmental agencies is proving to be negligent and deeply concerning.”
Contracts and policies have abandoned members in the past. Seniors were thrown off the health plan in 2020, and the lawsuit defending these members in Ed Asner et al v SAG Health Plan was settled for $20.6 million. In 2020, members over 40 also lost the benefit of “Age and Service” criteria for health insurance. Residuals are abysmal, and union jobs are fewer. “We are not 160,000 members strong but a union 160,000 members weak because such a small percentage make a living and receive benefits,” Veronica added.
Veronica is running to hold SAG-AFTRA accountable to fulfilling its mission and role as a labor union. She cites that over the last 3 years, policies and lack of enforcement of the Return to Work Agreement have cast aside members who were already discriminated against. Further, Background Talent wages were degraded with little to no benefit to those performers. Their covid stipends paid out a contribution percentage towards pension and health while principal talent stipends did not. She emphasized, “When most background performers don’t earn enough to receive health insurance and pension credits, who is benefiting from their contributions? The union is meant to protect those performers who depend on minimums, not take advantage of them.”
Veronica says that union press releases control and limit the information that general membership receives. Los Angeles members have asked for expanded open local board meetings and open National Board meetings in the past to no avail. “With how the union touts the democratic model, it seems odd that SAG-AFTRA meetings aren't open to the general membership. There should be more documentation of our elected representatives' actions. We need more transparency.”
The two main factions in the Los Angeles Local are Membership First (MF) and Unite for Strength (UFS). “It’s time SAG-AFTRA representatives serve our members, not a predetermined party agenda. Let's engage more involvement within the union and have collaborative generosity in our industry. Vote for Independents. I’m committed to taking actions for the benefit of ALL performers by finding common ground so we can all move forward confidently and abundantly into the future together.”
