IATSE is endorsing Kamala Harris for President of the United States.
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| Kamala Harris speaks at a moderated conversation with former Trump administration national security official Olivia Troye and former Republican voter Amanda Stratton on July 17, 2024 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. PHOTO BY CHRIS DUMOND/GETTY IMAGES |
The union, representing over 170,000 technicians, artisans, and craftspersons in Hollywood and the entertainment industry, unanimously voted to endorse Harris after President Biden decided not to seek reelection and endorsed the current vice president.
IATSE is the first Hollywood entertainment union to endorse Harris, and this decision follows the union's ratification of a new contract with the studios last week.
IATSE says it’s supporting Harris because the Biden-Harris White House “has been the most pro-union administration in history,” with Harris playing a “pivotal role” in those efforts.
Among her contributions, IATSE noted that as vice president, Harris cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to pass the American Rescue Plan Act, which provided pandemic relief to IATSE members and others.
Harris also chaired the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment and sought IATSE’s input on executive actions to boost organizing and empowerment in the industry.
“President Biden’s legacy as the most effective advocate for American workers to ever hold the White House is undeniable,” said IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb. “His unwavering support for IATSE workers and the labor movement cannot be overstated. We are deeply grateful for his lifetime of public service and exceptional leadership.
We respect his decision not to seek reelection and are committed to electing Vice President Kamala Harris this November. Our mission is clear: to prevent Donald Trump, who crossed an IATSE picket line in 2004, from securing another four years of attacking workers’ rights, undermining unions, and threatening our democracy.”
