FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Katie Barrows
Communications Manager
P: 202-549-5991
kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2018—Arts, entertainment, and media unions affiliated with the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) are committed to taking joint action to combat workplace harassment. Nine of the unions met on December 13, 2018 and pledged to share contract language, training resources, codes of conduct, and best practices to strengthen the individual efforts of each union to continue improving their industries. The joint action by these unions enhances the individual efforts of each union.

“Creative professionals work side-by-side in shared workplaces, which is why their unions are committed to collaborating on industry-wide improvements,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “DPE affiliate unions representing arts, entertainment, and media professionals are committed to learning from one another in an effort to develop even more effective ways to help eliminate incidents of harassment on the job.”

The unions will regularly convene to ensure they live up to their pledge. DPE affiliate unions in arts, entertainment, and media will also continue their foundational work of championing greater systemic equity, diversity, and inclusion in the creative industries.

The December 13, 2018 meeting was convened by the DPE Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industry Coordinating Committee, a coalition of 12 DPE affiliate unions representing professionals in the creative industries that come together to coordinate, discuss, and take joint action on shared interests.

The unions committing to joint action include:

• Actors’ Equity Association

• American Federation of Musicians

• American Guild of Musical Artists

• American Guild of Variety Artists*

• Directors Guild of America

• Guild of Italian American Artists

• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts

• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers*

• Office and Professional Employees International Union*

• SAG-AFTRA

• Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

• Writers Guild of America, East

*Unable to attend December 13th meeting.

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.