FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, February 17, 2022 - Today, the Office of the United States Trade Representative released its annual Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy, which identifies examples of the worst online and physical markets for reportedly engaging in and facilitating substantial copyright piracy or trademark counterfeiting. DPE President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement in response to the report:

“We applaud Ambassador Tai and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on the release of the 2021 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy, which brings attention to the effect intellectual property theft has on working people. Many members of DPE’s affiliate unions in the arts and entertainment industries earn collectively bargained pay and contributions to their health insurance and pension plans from the sales and licensing of films, TV shows, music, and other content they help create. The theft and unlicensed use of copyrighted content threatens these middle class professionals’ economic security and the more than five million jobs in the creative sector. DPE continues to advocate for strong copyright protections and enforcement to ensure these professionals are fully compensated for their creative works. 

We appreciate USTR’s work on this report and its commitment to help curb intellectual property theft. We hope the report’s findings motivate both private and public entities in the identified markets to take steps to reduce theft and counterfeiting.” 

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.