WASHINGTON, D.C. — The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) applauds the reintroduction of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, landmark legislation that would strengthen working people’s rights to come together and negotiate collectively as a union.

Workers in the fast-paced, often freelance environment of the entertainment industry know firsthand that America’s labor laws are designed to favor employers, making it difficult to organize and secure fair contracts. The reintroduction of the PRO Act is an important step in the ongoing fight to level the playing field and IATSE is proud to once again endorse this legislation.

Led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the Senate and Representatives Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) in the House, the PRO Act has garnered 212 original cosponsors. This bill, which passed the House with bipartisan support in the 116th and 117th Congresses, remains the most comprehensive pro-worker labor reform proposed in decades. The PRO Act would:

• Establish a mediation process to help management and labor find common ground
  
• Give the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) authority to order employers to negotiate in good faith with their workers and enforce penalties to prevent union-busting or deliberate misclassification by bad actors
  
• Eliminate so-called “right-to-work” (for less) laws of the Jim Crow Era that enable free riders to take advantage of union contracts
  
• Ban compulsory “captive audience meetings” and use of intimidation as a union-busting tactic
  
• Protect the right to strike and make it illegal for bosses to fire and replace workers who walk off the job to protest for better conditions
  
• Accelerate union elections and contract negotiations to ensure workers can quickly secure the benefits of union representation
  

IATSE has long championed the passage of the PRO Act as a cornerstone of the IATSE Federal Issue Agenda, reinforcing the union’s commitment to protecting the right of all workers to join together and form unions.

IATSE is also encouraged by growing bipartisan interest in labor law reform, as indicated by the introduction of the Faster Labor Contracts Act by Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). This legislation mirrors provisions of the PRO Act to speed up first contracts for new unions. While the PRO Act is the gold standard for comprehensive reform, IATSE also recognizes the importance of any legislative effort that empowers working people to exercise their right to negotiate collectively — especially for workers in industries like entertainment, where securing a first contract quickly can be critical before a production wraps or a theater season ends.

“Standing up for the right to organize and collectively bargain should not be a partisan issue,” said IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb. “Entertainment workers know that time is of the essence when it comes to securing fair contracts. Whether it’s film, television, live events, or trade shows, our members move from job to job, and delays in bargaining can mean missing out on the industry standards and protections we fight for. The PRO Act remains our North Star in the fight for comprehensive labor law reform and we welcome bipartisan efforts that recognize the urgent need to level the playing field for workers.”

IATSE will continue to call on Congress to pass legislation protecting American workers’ right to organize and negotiate fair first contracts.