A Message from the L.A. Local President

Dear Members,

The times we are living in are unprecedented. All of us have been struggling to varying degrees with losses, fear, grief, unemployment, worry, loneliness, worry, chaos and more worry. We are living through times we all know are historical, difficult for us individually, as a union and as a nation. 

I’m so proud of the many members who have found ways to rise up and help others to serve their fellow members during this time. We are prevailing, you are prevailing. We are adapting to changes, learning to use Zoom in meetings large and small, getting better at self-taping and reaching out to help each other in the kindest ways, where and when we can.

We all mourn for all that was lost in 2020. The pandemic hasn’t only taken loved ones, colleagues and friends, it continues to control everything around us, from our personal health to our work and even the simple pleasures of a hug or a handshake. The recent changes to our SAG-AFTRA Health Plan will no doubt add to the weight of these losses.

Yet there is hope on the horizon. We have a new administration already working hard to beat this pandemic. People have gone back to work. It hasn’t been perfect, but it has been an enormous relief to hear of completed projects. Our union was able to enact strict protocols for us in the TV/Theatrical arena, which have kept many of us COVID-free. We now see what is possible, what can work.

I want to thank our three remaining L.A. Local staff that we hope will be restored to 10 post-pandemic when service and programs become available to our members. Our Entertainment Contracts team is working tirelessly under difficult circumstances. Please join me in thanking them for all of their diligence and efforts on behalf of our members. And, of course, I cannot forget to thank our residuals team that continues to go into the office to make sure residual payments are processed and put into members’ pockets. 

We miss seeing you at our events. We miss the committee work. Though we may be learning about some of the blessings of virtual meetings and communication — NO DRIVING! I think we’ll be using a lot more Zoom even when we can get back in our building.

Our over-40-year-old L.A. Conservatory, member run and member led, had to be shut down, which was a sad loss at this time for L.A. members who want to be actively working themselves, not just watching others do it. The Conservatory is less about being talked at and more participating in learning your craft and having a place to practice it. The good news is there are stirrings again. We’re doing unofficial virtual readings of new scripts again. I just did a Coverfly reading virtually of a new screenplay. We are looking for ways to provide virtual classes. AFI is auditioning actors for student films again. 

The L.A. Conservatory will hopefully find new ways to offer more to Conservatory members virtually and provide active participation and learning in the moment with a variety of teachers and artists. We will keep exploring ways to give our members, at least virtually, something of what they’ve been missing.

Because of my commitment to transparency, there was so much more I’d like to have shared here but may not be considered appropriate to print. Often, some wish us to be in agreement about everything. But I believe that healthy disagreement, different points of view have helped us grow. The fascinating history of legacy SAG and my own eight-year history serving as an elected official tells me that we have always had and still have at least two, if not more, points of view about everything under the sun. The Los Angeles Local aims for the union to be run by members. We are as transparent as good sense allows to be. This is why we like open board meetings so much. It’s been a loss not to have you with us since we had to go virtual. Still, we hope that members will want to keep learning about the union, its history, its structure and the many confusing contracts. We need educated members and want very much for them to have a say in everything we do. We live in the city where most content creators live and work, in a state where our profession is the second-biggest source of income. This local is so fortunate and alive with working talent. We are slightly over half of all the active members in the country. 

As productions are now going, your union is dedicated to keeping everyone safe on sets. I’m proud and happy with the safety protocols established by the SAG-AFTRA President’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Safety that a few of our elected local board members were asked to join.

Be sure to log in and sign up to attend our upcoming virtual L.A. Local membership meeting on March 13 at noon. Details coming soon!

Keeping the members first,

Patricia Richardson
President, SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local