‘We’re proud to stand with Aundrea who is standing up for her rights against this shameful bullying by union bosses…’
(Ben Sellers, Liberty Headlines) Only a month since a new California law effectively curbed the use of independent contractors and empowered labor unions to tap into the emerging gig economy, union thugs are flexing their muscles by threatening a Hollywood “scab”: 12-year-old Disney actress Aundrea Smith.
The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists sought to “discipline” the young performer for appearing in a non-union commercial—despite the fact that she was not a member of the SAG union at the time, reported the National Labor Relations Board.
“The NLRB must intervene to halt this blatant and unlawful abuse of power by SAG-AFTRA union officials against this young actress,” said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “We’re proud to stand with Aundrea who is standing up for her rights against this shameful bullying by union bosses.”
According to the NLRB, which filed unfair labor practice charges on Smith’s behalf, she joined SAG in April 2019, a month after filming the commercial.
Four months later, in August 2019, she learned of the federal labor laws that prevent compulsory union membership and resigned her own membership.
The labor act also prevents unions from fining or punishing non-members and of making union membership a condition of employment.
NLRB said that, earlier this month, the Communication Workers of America union was forced to settle a similar case involving an AT&T employee after CWA refused to recognize the employee’s resignation from the union.
Despite Hollywood’s difficult history of blacklisting nonconformists, the preteen’s career in the industry appears, thus far, to be thriving.
IMDB.com listed her as one of the stars of an upcoming horror film titled “The Clearing,” as well as having a recurring role in the Disney Plus television series “Diary of a Future President.”