Hey John,

One thing you should know about me: I’m a proud, card-carrying union member. Specifically, I belong to SAG-AFTRA, but we'll get to that another time.

Because just yesterday, the IATSE — one of largest unions for workers in the film and television industry — announced that they’re going on strike on Monday if their demands aren’t met.

I’m proud to stand with them now, and I’d be even prouder to take my bona-fide union credentials to Congress to help ensure that every American has access to a union.

One of America’s greatest exports to the world is the entertainment industry. Something we love so much — just think about how much we adore our movies and TV — is made possible because of the hard work of the people of IATSE. But even in a multi-billion dollar industry like film and TV, far too many workers lack reasonable and basic needs such as rest periods, meal breaks, a weekend, and living wages for even those at the bottom of the pay scale.

IATSE’s strike shows exactly why unions are so important: By standing together, workers have real power to fight for their basic needs. 

We need more unions in this country, not fewer. It’s one of the reasons I got in this race, because our current representative is doing everything in his power to keep that from happening.

Strengthening unions starts by passing the PRO Act, which expands protections for workers seeking to exercise their right to join a union. Of course, since it’s a great idea that would provide real benefits to working people, Scott Franklin opposes it. (Also, we need to repeal the Taft-Hartley Act which makes it harder for folks to join a union.)

It’s not just IATSE, either. Unions with workers from John Deere and Kaiser Permanente are also going on strike this month if they don’t receive the benefits they’re asking for. That’s 90,000 workers right there! #Striketober is here. (For my bowling aficionados, you’ll note that an IATSE, John Deere, and Kaiser Permanente strike make a turkey.**)

How many more strikes do we have to see before we realize that something is fundamentally wrong with our approach to labor in this country?

It probably (definitely) has something to do with the pandemic and the alarming rise of income and wealth inequality in the past few decades , but something has to change. We have to shift power back into the hands of workers, away from corporate overlords who see dollars and cents instead of human beings.

So chip in to this campaign to help elect a pro-union representative who will always put people before profits.

— Eddie

**A turkey is three strikes in a row in bowling. No, not sorry for this one.