November 5, 2012
Los Angeles – Entertainment industry unions and guilds have united to urge their members and all industry workers to vote ‘No’ on Proposition 32. The Directors Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, Professional Musicians Local 47, Teamsters Local 399, and IBEW Local 40 oppose Proposition 32 and are actively working to defeat the proposition.
Proposition 32 is a sham that purports to be campaign finance reform, but would have no practical effect on the millions of dollars big corporations and billionaires spend on California politics. Proposition 32 will prohibit entertainment industry workers from continuing to participate in political action through their unions.
The entertainment industry is critical to California’s economy and its actors, performers, costume designers, grips, script supervisors, electricians, drivers, writers, musicians, cinematographers, directors and other professionals must have a voice on core issues that impact their jobs. Hollywood unions and guilds are united in working to support and promote a strong and vibrant entertainment industry by speaking out on issues like runaway film production, film and television tax credit programs and the protection of collective bargaining rights. We also are united in our opposition to Proposition 32.
The Directors Guild of America says:
"The DGA joins our fellow guilds and unions in vigorously opposing Proposition 32 and urging our members to vote 'no' on this misleading and disingenuous effort to inhibit union members from participating in political activity in California."
SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local Co-President and actor Gabrielle Carteris says:
“Prop. 32 is a sham. It silences the voices of working Californians and infringes on their rights to fight for fair and evenhanded policies in Sacramento. The backers of this proposition are some of the same anti-union backers of Wisconsin and the rest of our country. They have created a deceptive proposition that would allow them to funnel millions of dollars to candidates and parties in a continued assault on working families. That's why I am urging all California SAG-AFTRA members to Vote No on Prop.32.”
IATSE Local 600 member and Academy Award winning cinematographer Wally Pfister says:
“Proposition 32 in not a Democratic or Republican issue. It is an issue for every person in California who has a job and works to support themselves and their families. I believe we are all entitled to a say in our government. That is why I am voting against Proposition 32.”
Professional Musicians Local 47 member and violinist Marc Sazer says:
"Proposition 32 does nothing to stop political spending by big corporations. It only takes away the ability of working people, including entertainment industry professionals, to have a voice on issues we care about like fair wages and working conditions. We must stand together and vote ‘no’ on Proposition 32."
Teamsters Local 399 member and location manager Veronique Vowell says:
"This is a bigger issue than entertainment unions and workers. Without unions we wouldn't have the minimum wage. We wouldn't have health care. We wouldn't have work safety regulations. We cannot allow billionaires and corporations to try and break unions by spending unlimited amounts of money against us. A ‘no’ vote on Proposition 32 preserves the voice of all workers.”
IBEW Local 40 business manager and studio electrician Bill Brinkmeyer says:
“Proposition 32 is not what it seems. Its backers falsely claim it's about ‘stopping special interests,’ but it still allows corporations and wealthy individuals to give unlimited amounts of money to political campaigns. Proposition 32 is nothing more than the latest attempt to weaken unions and silence the middle class. Studio electricians and journeymen are voting ‘no’ on Proposition 32.”