Press Releases

DPE has media staff in Washington, D.C. to handle inquiries from journalists on issues related to professionals in unions. To schedule an interview with a member of the DPE staff, contact Katie Barrows at kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org or call 202-638-0320 ext. 15 or 202-549-5991.

Katie Barrows 6/15/21 Katie Barrows 6/15/21

DPE General Board Elects Officers, General Vice Presidents for 2021 to 2025 Term

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2021 - Today, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram was elected as Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) General Board Chair, Jennifer Dorning was re-elected as DPE President, Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) National Executive Director David White was re-elected as DPE First Vice President, and American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley was elected as DPE Treasurer. The officers were voted on by the DPE General Board, which includes representatives from DPE’s 24 affiliated unions, at today’s DPE Quadrennial General Board meeting. The officer positions are for four year terms, which end in 2025.

Each of the elected officers will serve an important role in the governance and operations of DPE. The general board chair heads DPE’s governing body, serves as a member of the DPE Executive Committee, presides over board meetings, is a fiduciary trustee, assists in the appointment of committees, and helps fill leadership vacancies. DPE’s president, as the only full-time officer, supervises the affairs and leads the day-to-day activities of the organization. The first vice president presides over meetings in the president's absence and the treasurer serves as the financial officer of the department.

Also elected as general vice presidents were Matt Biggs (International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)), Jay Blumenthal (American Federation of Musicians (AFM)), Roxanne Brown (United Steelworkers (USW)), Pamela Greenwalt (SAG-AFTRA), Phil Kugler (AFT), Mary Mahoney (Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU)), Mary McColl (Actors' Equity Association (AEA)), Tyler McIntosh (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employee (IATSE)), and James Slevin (Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA)).

“I’m honored to be elected Chair of the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO General Board,” said Ingram. “I know from my experience as a union leader, teacher, and musician the gains professionals can achieve by joining together in union. DPE provides its affiliated unions with a forum to share experiences and expertise, allowing us to strengthen our unions of professionals. I am excited to chair this forward-looking coalition at such a critical time, and help build even better unions and a stronger labor movement.”

After being elected AFT Secretary-Treasurer in September 2020, Ingram began serving as DPE Treasurer. Previously, Ingram was a music teacher and band director in the Miami-Dade public schools and the president of the Florida Education Association. He has also toured the country as a saxophone soloist and conductor.

Dorning’s re-election as DPE President comes after she was elected by the DPE Executive Committee in 2018 to fill the remaining term of DPE’s past president who retired after 17 years of service to the department. She is the third president in DPE’s 40-plus year history. Additionally, as the first female president of DPE, Dorning is the only woman to lead an AFL-CIO trade department.

“I’m proud to be able to continue serving DPE’s 24 affiliates and I’m grateful for the support of DPE’s general board,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “I also want to congratulate Chair Ingram, First Vice President White, and Treasurer Kelley. I’m excited to work with this dynamic group of union leaders.

During my time as president, DPE has remained a vital resource for unions representing and organizing professionals. We’ve developed new ways to reach professionals, facilitated collaboration among affiliates, and improved the lives of working people. I look forward to continuing to find innovative ways to connect with professionals about the benefits of joining together in union.”

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.

Katie Barrows 6/8/21 Katie Barrows 6/8/21

Black and Latinx Workers Are Underrepresented in Professional Occupations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Katie Barrows
Communications Director
Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO
P: 202-549-5991
kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

Nick Kauzlarich
Media Relations Specialist
Economic Policy Institute
P: 202-331-5542
nkauzlarich@epi.org

Black and Latinx workers are severely underrepresented in professional occupations, which pay more, on average, than other occupations, according to a new joint fact sheet from EPI and the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO.

Black and Latinx workers make up 12.8% and 17.4% of the total workforce, respectively, but only 10.0% and 9.8% of the professional workforce. Meanwhile, white and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers are overrepresented in professional occupations.

On average, professionals are paid 44% more than the median wage earned by workers in all occupations. However, Black and Latinx professionals still earn less than white professionals in similar occupations.

As the fact sheet explains, occupational segregation and discrimination are significant factors in explaining racial wage gaps, and these pay gaps are signs of the larger structural inequities that Black and Latinx professionals face in the workplace that impact related outcomes such as promotions, recruitment, and retention.

“While we've seen some change in the representation rates of Black and Latinx professionals over the last two decades, the rate of change is so slow that it would take 38 years to overcome the current representational gap for Black professionals and 33 years for Latinx professionals.” says Valerie Wilson, co-author of the fact sheet and director of EPI’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy (PREE). “Racial disparities in the economy are likely to continue growing if current employment patterns remain unchecked. Major policy reforms are needed to modernize and strengthen our labor laws and eliminate the racial wage gap and wealth inequity.”

Black and Latinx professionals are also unequally distributed across professional occupation groups. For example, Black and Latinx workers have higher rates of representation in community and social service occupations, but are severely underrepresented in legal occupations, architecture and engineering, and physical and social sciences. Black workers are also represented at much higher rates in the public sector than in the private sector.

On the other hand, AAPI workers are overrepresented in STEM and health care occupations, but underrepresented in professional occupations that employ larger shares of Black and Latinx workers.

The fact sheet advocates for passing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act to increase professionals’s ability to organize unions, strengthening anti-discrimination laws in the private sector, dismantling structures that perpetuate pay gaps by reinstating the 2016 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) pay data collection rule, removing barriers to job access for Black and Latinx professionals in STEM by reforming the H-1B visa program, and increasing federal arts funding and leveraging tax incentives to encourage more diversity in the arts, entertainment, and media industries.

“The data confirm that racial inequities pervade the professional workforce and provide a deeper look into where the greatest disparities exist for professionals of color,” said Jennifer Dorning, President of the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO. “It’s clear that a lot of changes are needed to make these occupations more accessible to Black and Latinx professionals. By joining together in union, professionals can use their collective power to create more diverse, representative, and equitable workplaces and industries.”

About the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO

About EPI

The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that researches the impact of economic trends and policies on working people in the United States.

Katie Barrows 6/1/21 Katie Barrows 6/1/21

DPE Commends the Biden Administration’s Proposed Federal Arts Funding Levels

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, June 1, 2021 - President Joe Biden released his administration’s budget which included $201 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for FY2022, $177.5 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for FY2022, and an advance appropriation of $475 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement in response to the proposed funding levels for the NEA, NEH, and CPB:

“We are excited to see the Biden administration take a promising step towards the big bold action needed to put creative professionals back to work and build the arts back better.

In proposing $201 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), President Biden has provided a path for the agency to quickly get to a funding level of $331 million, which amounts to one dollar per capita and, adjusted for inflation, is the high water mark for funding historically. Additionally, we are also excited to see a proposed increase in funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and commend the continued full funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

NEA and NEH funding is critical to putting union creative professionals to work in small towns and big cities all across the United States. The arts are also important to local economies more broadly through the spillover effect of spending by those who engage with performances and events. Union creative professionals also play a key role in carrying out the mission of the CPB.

This past year showed that the federal arts agencies have the capacity to distribute a high level of funding effectively and we should utilize that capacity as we build a more prosperous, sustainable economy for all.

We applaud the Biden administration’s commitment to racial equity and justice, which can be seen throughout the FY2022 budget. Earlier this year, DPE and our affiliated unions in the arts, entertainment, and media industries released a policy agenda for advancing DEI in the arts, entertainment, and media, which included attaching DEI objectives to federal arts funding and establishing a chief diversity officer at the federal arts agencies. As Congress works with the Biden administration to approve the NEA, NEH, and CPB appropriations requests, we urge them to utilize our policy agenda to achieve DEI objectives in the arts, entertainment, and media industries.

We look forward to continuing to work with the Biden administration and Congress on policies that create better workplaces and industries for professionals.”

About DPE

Katie Barrows 4/28/21 Katie Barrows 4/28/21

White House Task Force on Worker Organizing Will Be Instrumental in Helping More Professionals Unionize

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2021- On Monday, the Biden-Harris Administration created a White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment with the mission of empowering workers to organize and collectively bargain. The Department for Professional Employees (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement on the establishment of the task force:

“We applaud President Biden’s commitment to worker organizing and the creation of strong unions. Union professionals have better pay, benefits, and working conditions because of the power they have in their workplaces. The White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment will play an important role in helping more professionals obtain workplace power and create high-quality careers.

While over 6.3 million professionals are union members, we know that even more professionals would join a union in their workplace if they could. The task force along with the passage of the PRO Act are essential to addressing the obstacles associated with organizing a union and allowing more professionals to make a union in their workplace a reality.

DPE stands ready to work with the White House and the task force to help empower professionals to organize and bargain with their employers.”

About DPE

Katie Barrows 3/10/21 Katie Barrows 3/10/21

The American Rescue Plan Act is a Victory for Union Professionals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2021 - Today, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act which provides critical relief to union professionals and all Americans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For professionals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic support continues to be an essential lifeline. The American Rescue Plan Act:

Extends unemployment benefits and other COVID-19 economic support programs
Delivers direct, one-time payments
Provides $350 billion in needed state and local aid so critical services can continue to be carried out and schools have the resources they need to reopen safely and equitably
Ensures continued access to quality, affordable health care through 100 percent COBRA subsidies
Protects hard-earned retirement security
Authorizes emergency, supplemental federal arts funding, including $135 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities and $175 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Extends access to the Paycheck Protection Program to 501(c)(5) labor unions and digital-native news organizations

“Simply put, the American Rescue Plan was a must pass piece of legislation for professionals impacted by the pandemic. We applaud Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer for their leadership on this legislation, and thank every member of Congress who voted to help bring relief to professionals impacted by the pandemic,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “This bill will provide much needed economic support to professionals and help them continue to weather the pandemic.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has been especially difficult for professionals in the arts, entertainment, and media industries. Live events and filming were some of the first work to shut down when the pandemic hit the country a year ago, which has put many creative professionals out of work for the duration of the pandemic. The news industry’s revenues have been decimated by the pandemic, causing news professionals to be furloughed and laid-off in a time when news is essential. The American Rescue Plan’s economic support is especially vital to these creative professionals.

“We are grateful that lawmakers understood the urgency of additional pandemic relief legislation. We look forward to President Biden signing it into law in the coming days, and commend his commitment to ensuring that working people are not left behind in the wake of the pandemic’s economic damage,” said Dorning.

About DPE

Katie Barrows 3/9/21 Katie Barrows 3/9/21

DPE Applauds House Passage of the PRO Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2021 - The Department for Professional Employees (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021 (H.R. 842) today:

“We commend the House of Representatives for passing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. The bill’s bipartisan passage in the House is an important step towards rebalancing the power of professionals and other employees in the workplace.

Far too often, labor laws that should protect working people actually favor employers and pose an obstacle to forming unions. In fact, while a majority of professionals want to join unions, most have been unable to do so. Despite the fact that a majority of professionals want to join unions, union membership remains relatively low. Current labor laws can create unnecessary barriers to forming new unions, and provide limited protections for professionals working to organize. Additionally, the consequences for breaking the law are not strong enough to dissuade employers from violating current labor law. The PRO Act will fix these and other problems to help unstack the deck against workers.

Unions are essential to ensure professionals earn the fair pay and benefits they deserve. When professionals join together in union they have power in their workplaces to make tangible improvements. Not only are fair wages and benefits essential, but as our nation grapples with inequities and racism, we know that unions are part of the solution to help create more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces.

For too long, professionals wanting to join together in union to improve their workplaces have had to confront a broken labor law. Today is a crucial step toward making the PRO Act the law of the land.”

About DPE

Katie Barrows 2/11/21 Katie Barrows 2/11/21

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Unions Announce Legislative Push to Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2021 - Today, the arts, entertainment, and media unions affiliated with the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) announced their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy agenda during a digital press conference with union leaders, staff, and members. The DEI policy agenda details the legislative action the unions will urge members of Congress to support to help make their industries more representative.

“Diversity is a strength,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “Creative professionals and their unions know this, and continue to prioritize making their industries more accessible to underrepresented people. Advocating for policy changes at the national level is a natural continuation of the work arts, entertainment, and media unions have been doing to advance DEI in their creative industries.”

The DEI policy agenda seeks to support middle class careers, through passing legislation like the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, the AM-FM Act, and reforming Section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The policy agenda also centers on increasing funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Corporation for Public Broadcasting to support the opportunities needed to create wide and diverse talent pipelines. With states like Illinois, New Jersey, and New York leading the way on enacting tax incentives to encourage diverse hiring, the policy agenda lifts up these states as examples to create federal tax incentives that will spur more inclusive hiring in film, television, and live entertainment.

“We look forward to working with members of Congress and their offices to make these smart policy solutions a reality,” said Dorning.

The unions putting forth this DEI policy agenda 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 Actors
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Office and Professional Employees International Union
Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
Writers Guild of America, East

About DPE

Katie Barrows 1/22/21 Katie Barrows 1/22/21

Professionals Continued to Organize in 2020, Boosting Union Membership Amid Economic Turmoil

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2021- Professional union membership rose in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) annual report on union membership. The number of professionals in unions grew to 6.311 million, an increase of approximately 34,000 from 2019. Union density among professionals was 11.3 percent, up from 11.1 percent in 2019.

“Amidst a global pandemic and economic recession, professionals are continuing to organize and join unions,” said Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning. “Joining together with their coworkers is the only way for professionals to win sustained, substantive change at work, and is the best path forward for professionals who want to protect their livelihoods during periods of economic uncertainty.”

Underneath the top-level data, the numbers show how the continued severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has been hurting professionals. The pandemic has had wide-reaching economic impacts, leading to the net loss of at least 662,000 jobs in professional occupations over the last year, including:

594,000 fewer teachers and other education, training and library professionals, a six percent decrease from 2019.
Approximately 240,000 fewer jobs in arts, entertainment and media professions, a 19.8 percent decrease from last year. This includes significant job losses for many kinds of creative and entertainment professionals, including actors, musicians, directors, dancers, singers, reporters, editors, broadcasters and many others.

Many union professionals were able to weather the economic storms of the last year, in part, with protections and processes enshrined in their collective bargaining agreements that provided for salary reductions in lieu of layoffs, work-share arrangements, or severance packages for those who did lose their jobs.

The 2020 employment and union membership numbers also highlight the need for additional legislative action early in 2021 to protect professionals’ workplace rights and prevent further economic damage.

The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act must become law to help ensure all professionals can exercise their right to join together in union and negotiate collectively with their employers.
Congress must pass smart policies that will help America's arts, entertainment, and media industries reopen when it is safe and get creative professionals back to work.
Additional federal funding is also necessary to aid state and local governments in order to prevent cuts to essential services such as public health and education and allow state and local leaders to respond quickly to changing economic needs.

“Unions have been pivotal throughout the pandemic, protecting their members’ health, safety, and economic livelihood. Passage of the PRO Act will allow more professionals to exercise their right to form a union and create better workplaces. Additionally, we urge Congress to take action on federal arts funding and state and local aid to prevent further economic devastation due to the pandemic,” said Dorning.

About DPE

Katie Barrows 1/7/21 Katie Barrows 1/7/21

DPE Denounces Attempted Coup at the U.S. Capitol

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2021 - Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning issued the following statement as a response to yesterday’s attempted coup at the U.S. Capitol:

“Yesterday is going to be remembered as one of the darkest days in recent American history. The outgoing President’s divisive language and continued attempts to undermine the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election resulted in an attempted coup.

Throughout the Capitol, professionals ranging from congressional staffers to engineers in the office of the Architect of the Capitol work to keep our government running. While news professionals covering Congress roam the halls and chamber galleries to provide critical information to the American public. The Trump supporters’ storming of the Capitol threatened these professionals' lives, along with many others.

DPE condemns the acts of yesterday. Violence and hate have no place in our democracy.”

About DPE

Katie Barrows 11/30/20 Katie Barrows 11/30/20

DPE Mourns the Loss of Larry Willis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2020 - DPE President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement in response to the news of the passing of Transportation Trades Department (TTD) President Larry Willis:

“DPE mourns the loss of TTD President Larry Willis. Larry improved the lives of millions of Americans through his commitment to frontline transportation workers and their unions. My condolences are with his family, friends, and TTD kin at this difficult time. ”

About DPE

Katie Barrows 9/1/20 Katie Barrows 9/1/20

DPE Honors Retiring AFT Secretary-Treasurer Lorretta Johnson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2020 - This month, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Secretary-Treasurer and Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) Treasurer Lorretta Johnson retires after over 50 years as a union activist and leader.

“Lorretta has been an advocate for union professionals and I’m forever grateful for her service to DPE,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “She has given so much to the labor movement throughout the course of her career and is leaving some big shoes to fill. Even though she will be greatly missed, I’m excited for her next chapter in life and wish her the best in retirement.”

“It’s been an honor to serve with Lorretta on the DPE executive committee,” said International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) President and DPE Chair Paul Shearon. “Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lorretta in various other capacities in the union world and will miss her insight and wisdom. Now, she gets to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.”

Johnson began her time in the labor movement by organizing her fellow paraprofessionals with the Baltimore Teachers Union. She has served in many AFT leadership positions including president of the Baltimore Teachers Union’s paraprofessional chapter, president of AFT-Maryland, an AFT vice president, AFT executive vice president, and AFT secretary-treasurer.

Johnson joined the DPE executive committee as treasurer in March 2019, and her dedication has been important to growing the number of professionals in unions. Additionally, Johnson has held a variety of other leadership positions across the labor movement. She has served as a vice president of the AFL-CIO, and held board positions for the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Union Label and Service Trades Department, AFL-CIO, and Union Privilege organization.

About DPE

Katie Barrows 6/9/20 Katie Barrows 6/9/20

DPE Launches Initiative to Organize Professionals Seeking a Safe Return to Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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

WASHINGTON, June 9, 2020 - Today, the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) launched an initiative to educate and connect with professionals about how organizing unions can protect their health and safety as many businesses resume in-person operations, even as the threat of COVID-19 remains. Over the next month, DPE will conduct outreach to nonunion professionals in order to emphasize the importance of organizing unions to secure a voice in conversations about office reopenings, personal protective equipment, and work-from-home policies.

“As stay-at-home orders are lifted and employers begin to call employees back to their physical offices, the only legally-protected way for professionals to have a say in these important decisions is with a union,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “Throughout this pandemic, union professionals have been able to negotiate with their employers on health and safety measures, implementation of telework, and ways to avoid layoffs, and they will continue to have input in workplace changes as organizations deal with the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Over six million doctors, lawyers, engineers, and other professionals are union members, and in the last year more than 90,000 professionals joined unions. The COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped professionals from organizing unions, instead nonprofit employees, musicians, theater professionals, and many others have continued to unionize to create stability and have a seat at the table in these uncertain times.

Professionals can find more information about organizing unions during the COVID-19 pandemic here.

About DPE

Katie Barrows 6/2/20 Katie Barrows 6/2/20

DPE on the Murder of George Floyd: Black Lives Matter and Justice Must Be Served

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2020 - The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) issued the following statement on the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, David McAtee, and many other black people by police, and the subsequent repression of peaceful protest across the United States:

“Black lives matter,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “The deaths of George Floyd and many other black people at the hands of the police is horrible and unacceptable. Floyd, his family, and the countless black families who have lost loved ones due to racist violence deserve justice.”

“Racism and racial inequities exist across the country and union professionals continue to use their collective voice to work towards racial justice in and out of the workplace. Union professionals are diverse in their races, ethnicities, and backgrounds, but all are united in making the lives of working people better, and that includes eradicating oppression and discrimination.”

“I strongly condemn the use of force by police forces and the national guard against nonviolent protestors in cities across America. The right to assemble and protest is a core value of the labor movement and at the heart of the American democratic system. Additionally, I decry the intentional targeting of journalists and news professionals.”

About DPE

Katie Barrows 5/26/20 Katie Barrows 5/26/20

DPE Applauds Bipartisan Reintroduction of H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Legislation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2020—Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning issued the following statement in response to the introduction of the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2020:

“Simply put, the H-1B visa program needs reform. Employers continue to use the H-1B program to lower standards, outsource and offshore good jobs, and pay H-1B workers below market wages in arrangements where employers hold far too much power.

I applaud Senators Dick Durbin and Chuck Grassley for introducing the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2020 in the Senate, and Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr., Paul Gosar, Ro Khanna, Frank Pallone, Jr., and Lance Gooden for introducing companion legislation in the House. If enacted, this legislation would go a long way toward improving the H-1B visa program so that it works for U.S. professionals and people working on H-1B visas, and not just employers.”

About DPE

Katie Barrows 5/11/20 Katie Barrows 5/11/20

News Unions Statement on Standards for Safety and Fairness for Industry’s Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, May 11, 2020 - Thousands of workers across the media industry have been working through this crisis. News workers have helped tell the story of this pandemic, its heroes, and its ramifications. At the same time, thousands more in the industry have lost jobs along with millions of other Americans. News is essential, perhaps like never before. As parts of our society and economy begin to reopen, we want to do everything we can to make sure media workers have safe and fair workplaces.

As we move forward in this new world, the affiliate unions of the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) with members working in news media, call on all employers in the news industry to follow these basic guidelines, which should be the bare minimum. Employers should take additional precautions, such as testing and screening protocols, where appropriate.

All work that can be done from home should be done from home if the worker so chooses, with proper tech support.
When work must be done in the newsroom, control room, studio, or in the field, basic CDC and OSHA guidelines on social distancing and protective measures should be mandated, with each worker supplied with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE).
All worksites and field vehicles should be equipped with sufficient disinfectant supplies and disinfected by professional cleaning crews regularly to ensure the best possible hygiene in all work areas.
Employers should adopt strict contact tracing plans to self-isolate those who may have been exposed to anyone who tests positive or exhibits symptoms consistent with the virus.
Layoffs, furloughs, and reductions in employees’ hours should only be considered after all other options have been exhausted. Before any reductions in hours/days for freelance and temporary workers or furloughs or layoffs of staff workers, there should be good faith discussions between the union and management (with financial transparency) to settle on the best course of action to ensure high-quality journalism and protect as many jobs as possible during this crisis.

Endorsed by:

Directors Guild of America (DGA)

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE)

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)

Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)

Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE)

These unions are part of the DPE Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industry Coordinating Committee (AEMI), a group of unions representing members who work in the arts, entertainment and media industries.

About DPE

Katie Barrows 4/7/20 Katie Barrows 4/7/20

IFPTE President Shearon Elected Chair of DPE General Board, AFGE National President Kelley to join Executive Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2020 - Today, the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) Executive Committee elected International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) President Paul Shearon to chair the DPE General Board. As chair, President Shearon’s responsibilities include heading DPE’s governing body, serving as a member of the DPE executive committee, presiding at board meetings, functioning as one of DPE’s fiduciary trustees, assisting in the appointment of committees, and helping fill leadership vacancies.

“Professionals are essential to the future of the labor movement, and I’m honored to chair this great coalition of unions,” said President Shearon. “Whether you are an aerospace engineer, digital journalist, teacher, or any one of the more than 64 million professionals in this country, there is much to gain by joining together in union with your colleagues. I look forward to working with DPE in this new capacity and developing new ideas to organize professionals.”

President Shearon entered the labor movement as a member of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, IFPTE Local 2001 (SPEEA) when he was a programmer at the Boeing Company. He has over 20 years of experience as a leader of union professionals, becoming SPEEA’s organizing director in 1996. In this role, he helped add 5,000 aerospace professionals to the union and helped plan SPEEA’s strike in 2000. President Shearon was elected IFPTE secretary-treasurer in 2006 and became IFPTE’s president in 2018.

“President Shearon has a long history of communicating the benefits of union membership to professionals,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “We couldn’t be more excited for President Shearon to chair DPE’s general board and help strengthen our coalition.”

DPE’s executive committee elected American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Dr. Everett Kelley to fill the DPE general vice president position vacated by President Shearon. A union member for more than 35 years, Dr. Kelley has grown the ranks of union professionals in every role he has served as an AFGE activist and leader.

“Dr. Kelley’s expertise and dedication to ensuring a thriving, effective labor movement for federal sector professionals will be invaluable for all DPE affiliates,” said Dorning.

About DPE

Katie Barrows 3/27/20 Katie Barrows 3/27/20

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Unions Secure Access to Economic Support for Creative Professionals in Latest COVID-19 Relief Legislation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2020 - The Department for Professionals Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) and affiliated arts, entertainment, and media unions applaud the expanded access to economic support for loss of work related to COVID-19 in the latest coronavirus aid bill, which is on its way to becoming law.

While most creative professionals were not eligible for the relief in earlier pieces of COVID-19 legislation, together with their unions they won access to economic relief through hundreds of thousands of emails, calls, social media posts, and other outreach to members of Congress. DPE and its affiliated arts, entertainment, and media unions applaud the bipartisan support for this vital legislation that is keeping the country moving forward during this difficult time.

“We are thankful that this coronavirus aid bill ensures COVID-19 related economic relief applies to professionals in the arts, entertainment, and media industries,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “By coming together and mobilizing their members, DPE affiliated arts and entertainment unions made sure lawmakers took into account the unique working situations of creative professionals and expanded access to economic support.”

Specifically, DPE and its affiliated unions in the arts, entertainment, and media industries commend the bill for protecting creative professionals by increasing and extending unemployment benefits, sending one time direct payments and additional financial support to states, and establishing the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program for those who otherwise would not qualify.

“Many creative professionals who work gig to gig had begun or expected to begin their next job when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. These individuals will now be eligible to receive economic support to help make up for the income lost due to cancelled or postponed work” said Dorning. “The important takeaway is that money will soon be in the hands of creative professionals and their families.”

DPE and its affiliated arts, entertainment, and media unions will continue to work together to make sure members can access this economic support.

The bill also provides crucial emergency funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Going forward, DPE and its affiliated unions of professionals in the arts, entertainment, and media industries remain focused on ensuring that subsequent COVID-19 relief legislation includes:

Further federal arts funding to assist arts nonprofits and other employers in financing projects and performances
Pension relief and access to affordable healthcare
Economic support for the entertainment industry that puts people back to work

“We look forward to the day when creative professionals and all working people can safely return to work,” said Dorning. “We know that the way forward is achieved by working together.”

The unions engaged in advocacy 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 Actors
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Office and Professional Employees International Union
Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
Writers Guild of America, East

About DPE

DPE’s overview on accessing government relief from this legislation.

Katie Barrows 3/20/20 Katie Barrows 3/20/20

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Unions Call on Policymakers to Protect Media Workers in Emergency Relief Packages

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2020—With hundreds of thousands of creative professionals out of work as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, arts, entertainment, and media unions affiliated with the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) are calling on the White House, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Congress to quickly pass emergency relief legislation that both enhances and expands state unemployment benefits and sends direct unrestrained cash to the impacted workers they represent.

“Arts, entertainment, and media workers have been hit hard by this public health and economic crisis. Overnight, production and performances industry-wide shut down indefinitely, leaving most entertainment and media workers without a source of income to cover essential expenses. Workers who are left without a paycheck and may not qualify for unemployment have no recourse unless Congress acts now. Elected officials have a moral responsibility to ensure emergency relief packages address these workers’ unique circumstances,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “DPE affiliate unions representing arts, entertainment, and media professionals are committed to working with the federal government to provide economic relief during this long-term national crisis.”

Current state unemployment insurance benefits tend to be insufficient for arts and entertainment workers, and many will not be eligible for the paid leave expansion in the newly passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

“Creative professionals have unique work situations that prevent them from gaining much relief from state unemployment insurance programs,” said Dorning. “For workers in the arts and entertainment industries who are classified as employees, the benefits tend to be minimal. In a state like California, weekly benefits for creative professionals range from $40 to $450, which is not enough to weather this crisis – and far below what creative professionals would be earning if they could work.”

This week, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act was signed into law. The legislation provides relief to many workers across the country, but its paid sick leave and childcare leave provisions only apply to a limited number of still-employed arts, entertainment, and media professionals.

“We thank the President, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader McConnell and the rest of Congress for this much-needed first step in providing support to workers impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis,” said Dorning. “We look forward to a future emergency relief package that applies to all affected Americans, including those who have been laid off.”

DPE and its affiliated arts, entertainment, and media unions are calling on the federal government to include the following in its future COVID-19 related emergency relief legislation:

Provide states with dedicated funds to increase unemployment benefits and extend the number of eligible weeks beyond 26 weeks, similar to what was done during the 2008 recession.
Access to unemployment benefits for the many creative professionals who rely on contract work, tipped jobs, or their own small business to supplement their income and earn a living.
Continue enhancing the Unemployment Compensation system, including for those who lose expected work because their productions are shut down.
Direct cash to affected workers and self-employed individuals that’s unrestricted, sent bi-weekly, and not tied to actual lost wages, work histories, or federal tax obligations.
Direct cash plans that consider the number of children a worker has to care for.
The benefit amount for direct cash plans should exceed $1,000 a month, due to the cost of living throughout the country. For example, in New York the estimated cost for a family of four is $6,976 and in Birmingham, Alabama the estimated monthly costs for a family of four is $3,434. Both figures are much higher than existing unemployment benefits provide.
Enhancements to SNAP and WIC food programs.
Provide paid sick leave, mortgage and rent payment relief, student loan payment waivers, credit reporting moratoriums, and childcare assistance.

The unions committing to advocacy effort 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 Actors
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Office and Professional Employees International Union
Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
Writers Guild of America, East

About DPE

Katie Barrows 1/22/20 Katie Barrows 1/22/20

Professional Union Membership Continued Making Gains Last Year, But Opportunity for Growth Remains

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2020 – The number of professionals in unions inched up in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) annual report on union membership. Professional union membership rose to 6.27 million, a gain of just over 90,000 members from 2018 and a new all-time high. However, the growth of the professional workforce outpaced the growth in union organizing, leading to a small decrease in union density among professional and technical employees.

“Professionals are continuing to join unions,” said Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning. “The modest gains made last year helped the total number of professionals in unions reach the highest level to date, clearly demonstrating continued opportunities to grow the labor movement by organizing professional and technical employees.”

Union membership among professionals has steadily increased over the course of the past 20 years with the total number of union professionals growing from 5 million to 6.27 million. Last year, DPE affiliated unions helped continue this trend by welcoming tech workers, healthcare professionals, nonprofit employees, digital journalists, federal government employees, and many other professionals into the labor movement.

Unfortunately, as union membership among professionals has grown, the overall number of union members declined in 2019, to a total of 14.6 million.

Today’s BLS report serves as a reminder that there are a lot of opportunities for union organizing in the professional workforce. Professional union membership is largely concentrated in education and healthcare, leaving many sectors and occupations with plenty of room for union organizing. Legal services; architectural, engineering and related services; and computer services are all growing sectors that employ millions of professionals and are largely unorganized.

Among the 50 million nonunion professionals, DPE research shows that a majority would support the formation of a union in their workplace. However, the same survey shows that a major obstacle to unionizing professionals is their lack of knowledge about unions, how to start one and how to identify which union is right for them.

While professionals are joining together in unions across the country, the reality is that current labor law does not adequately protect employees’ workplace rights. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the basis of private sector labor law, lacks strong enforcement mechanisms and real penalties for employer wrong-doing. Modernizing labor law by passing legislation like the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act would make it easier for employees to act on their desire to form unions.

“Professionals are interested in the benefits of joining together in union with their coworkers, but there is a knowledge barrier. We’ve seen professionals in previously unorganized sectors, like digital media and nonprofits, unionize in recent years, which shows that unions can overcome this challenge by putting out the welcome mat and speaking to the unique needs of professionals,” said Dorning.

About DPE

Katie Barrows 10/1/19 Katie Barrows 10/1/19

Statement Commending U.S. Representatives Nadler and Collins for Standing-Up For Creative Professionals in U.S. Trade Deals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2019 – On Sept. 17, 2019, House Judiciary Chairman Jerrod Nadler (D-NY) and Ranking Member Doug Collins (R-GA) sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expressing concern about the inclusion of language mirroring Section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) in the revised North American Free Trade Agreement (also known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA.)

Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning issued the following statement regarding the Nadler-Collins letter:

“DPE commends Chairman Nadler and Ranking Member Collins for speaking up to help ensure creative professionals can earn a fair return on their work.

Members of DPE unions in the arts, entertainment, and media industries depend on the sale of legitimate content for fair compensation. Stolen or otherwise illegitimate content cuts into the revenues that go toward creative professionals’ wages, health care, and retirement security.

Unfortunately, outdated and overbroad copyright safe harbor provisions in U.S. law enable tech companies to profit off stolen and otherwise unauthorized creative content posted on their websites and platforms.

Chairman Nadler and Ranking Member Collins are right to express their concern with Trade Ambassador Lighthizer about the incorporation of overbroad, outdated copyright safe harbor provisions in the revised North American Free Trade Agreement (also known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA.) Exporting these bad policies to other countries through their inclusion in trade agreements, including the announced U.S.-Japan agreement and others currently being negotiated, will only further hurt creative professionals.

The people who earn their livings imagining, developing, designing, and giving life to creative works need strong copyright protections appropriate for today’s digital age. The request of Chairman Nadler and Ranking Member Collins to allow the input of copyright experts from all perspectives helps get us there.”

About DPE