Burbank, CA — The California IATSE Council (CIC) – comprised of 18 local unions representing over 54,000 members who work in the film, television, stage, and live events industry throughout the State of California – proudly announced its endorsement of Congressman Adam Schiff for the United States Senate, Thursday.
The CIC statement said:
“… We make this early commitment because our decades of working with Congressman Schiff have given us direct evidence of his deep and abiding commitment to—and willingness to take action on—the issues that directly impact our members and their families.
From his early days in Congress, Adam Schiff, has demonstrated that commitment. In 2001, when there was large scale flight of film and television productions from California to Canada, but the term “runaway production” was known only within our industry and certainly not in the halls of Congress, Congressman Schiff became one of the earliest co-authors of federal legislation to keep the U.S. competitive. He kept working for passage of that legislation, called the Independent Film and Television Production Incentive Act, until it became law in 2004.
During his time on the House Judiciary Committee, he defended the films and television shows our members make from copyright, and then Internet, theft. He has worked to support copyright protections and crack down on those who would steal the work of U.S. creators for a profit – which erodes residual payments into our members’ health and pension plans.
He fought for unemployment compensation for our members when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down our industry and stood with us in 2021, when we were fighting for our member’s right to a fair contract and a safe workplace.
There could be no stronger or truer voice for the working people of California than Congressman Adam Schiff. He is a man of conscience, conviction, and strength. And, important in this day and age, he is steadfast in the face of adversity. He understands that doing the right thing for working people is key to ensuring America remains the land of opportunity.
The CIC looks forward to working hard for his election as a U. S. Senator for California.”
Click here to view the statement in PDF format
Commenting on the CIC endorsement, IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb said:
“I am pleased to recognize the California IATSE Council’s endorsement of Adam Schiff to be the next United States Senator for the State of California. Adam has been a true friend and champion for IATSE workers from the moment he announced his campaign for the California State Senate at IATSE Local 80 in 1996. He has been a voice for the more than 10,000 IATSE members he represents in California’s 30th Congressional District. Moreover, he has been a voice for behind-the-scenes entertainment workers across California and the country.
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire entertainment industry, Adam Schiff was the first to stand with us. He drafted a letter to Congressional leadership demanding that immediate economic relief be provided to entertainment workers, who were out of work through no fault of their own. Thanks to his leadership, IATSE members were made eligible for federal unemployment compensation that helped pay bills and put food on the table until a safe return to work was possible.
When 60,000 IATSE motion picture and television workers were fighting for a fair contract, Adam Schiff led the charge once again. He, along with Senator Alex Padilla, authored a Congressional letter to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) urging them to negotiate collaboratively with IATSE workers to address key issues of worker dignity and basic human necessities. Thanks to his leadership, 120 Democratic Members of Congress stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us as we negotiated a deal that achieved historic improvements in working conditions, wages, and sustainable benefits.
It is no surprise then that the CIC is now standing with Adam Schiff, as he seeks this new office.
I wish him well in his campaign and look forward to our continued work together to achieve a better future for the working people of California.”
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The California IATSE Council or CIC, comprised of 18 local unions, represents over 54,000 women and men working throughout the State of California who are the backbone of the entertainment industry. We work in all forms of motion picture and television production, live theatre, television broadcasting, sports broadcasting, trade shows, exhibitions, and concerts as well as the equipment and construction shops that support all these areas of the industry.
