Adriano Espaillat: “I include in the Record a letter from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. International Alliance…”

“I include in the Record a letter from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, New York, NY, March 8, 2021. Re H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. Dear Representative: I write to you on behalf of the over 127,000 American members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) to urge you to support H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, and to oppose any weakening amendments or motion to recommit when the U.S. House of Representatives considers the bill this week. The IATSE proudly represents behind-the-scenes workers in all forms of live theater, motion picture and television production, trade shows and exhibitions, television broadcasting, and concerts, as well as the equipment and construction shops that support these areas of the entertainment industry. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has put millions out of work and threatens the safety of countless others. Over the course of the last year, we have seen that belonging to a union can, quite literally, be the difference between life and death on the job. The time to act is now. Labor unions are under assault, with policies across the country undermining workers' collective bargaining rights and stripping union workers of the wages, benefits, and retirement security they deserve.…”