IATSE: The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) released today its updated federal legislative priorities for the second session of the 117th United States Congress. The IATSE Federal Issue Agenda highlights the core issues facing behind-the-scenes workers employed throughout the U.S. entertainment industry and conveys the union’s federal policy priorities to elected officials.
3 comments:
I had no idea that IATSE was one of the many unions that worked to push through the American Rescue Plan of 2021. That is so incredible that they were able to get those huge benefits and protections for behind the scenes workers, especially given the absolutely huge amount of job losses in the arts world as of late. It really shows just how powerful unions really can be when they are managed well and actively work to protect those within them as is their duty. Especially with the continued effort of certain corporations to plant distrust of unions in their workers to try to weaken their power. All of the hard work that behind the scenes workers put in deserves to be rewarded and they deserve to be protected from the bodily harm that is easy to come by in that line of work by the government, their employers, and their union.
Unionization is essential, especially in an industry with internalized standards of working yourself to death as a standard and ideal. IATSE is a great example of the power of a well- organized union. IATSE’s impact on federal legislature puts working people in the entertainment industry in the same conversations as lobbyists backed by the wealthiest people in the world. These demands bring up issues I had never considered. Even as someone who plans to do traveling work in the future, I hadn’t thought about the ability to vote being affected by a traveling job. It hadn’t occurred to me that issues I already supported, like healthcare and paid family leave are especially essential to contract workers and entertainment professionals. This article reminded me how vital unions are to making sure workers have a say in what goes on above them, whether that be in their local or in the federal government.
I wasn't aware that IATSE kept official legislative priorities, but given their past success, I'm glad that they do. I also didn't know that IATSE was that big- at the bottom of the site, they say that IATSE now has 150K members.
I'm especially hopeful to hear that IATSE wants to help protect the rights of working people to unionize and bargain for better wages. After all that's been happening with Kelloggs and NABISCO, we've seen just how much this country could benefit from unions, and unfortunately, just how much corporations are taking advantage of workers who aren't unionized.
I'm also interested to see that IATSE is trying to protect the right to vote on a national scale. Obviously it's a very important issue, but I wouldn't have thought that IATSE would get involved that seems so out-of-our hands. I'm not sure if they'll be successful, but who knows. Maybe putting their collective support behind an issue that protects the voiceless will help bring about some good change.
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