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Dear IATSE Local 16 members,
The members of the political committee hope you and your family are well.
Now at this time we would like to honor the late AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, whose untimely death occurred August 5th. And after 65 years the AFL-CIO has announced that Liz Schuller will be our first female president.
Other leadership changes within AFL-CIO include Fred Redmond who has been appointed Secretary Treasurer. Mr. Redmond is the first African-American to hold this position within the AFL-CIO.
This September 6th the US will commemorate its 127th Labor Day Weekend. It’s a three day weekend that was not given to Labor, but demanded by labor and signed into law by anti-labor President Grover Cleveland. When we fight we win!
And now for CA politics.
This September 14th, California will vote in Governor Newsom’s recall election.
The Local 16 Political Committee strongly recommends a ‘NO’ vote for the recall, in order for the governor to finish his term.
No other candidate is endorsed by labor for this recall. Vote ‘No’ and done.”
This is NOT democracy-in-action, but a belligerent attempt by far-right extremist groups to install a right-to-work Republican; a candidate whom would never win in a normal election cycle.
In short Gavin Newsom will be fine if he loses the recall, but labor will not. This is the loophole right-to-work Republicans have been looking for and found within CA’s subpar recall process.
The recall was initiated by several key organizers. One recall leader is anti-immigration organizer Orrin Heatlie [Hit-lee], a retired Sheriff's deputy who in June 2019 wrote on his Facebook page “Microchip all illegal immigrants. It works! Just ask Animal control! Process photograph, identify, and implant.”
This recall has found support from extreme far-right groups such as the Three Percenters, whom according to the Anti-Defamation League “have a track record of criminal activity ranging from weapons violations to terrorist plots and attacks.” In June, the Department of Justice charged six California members for their participation in the January 6th insurrection on the US Capitol. This extremist group seeks politic power through violence and coercion, and now they are closer than ever to having their ideology in the governor’s house in the 5th largest economy in the world.
Without a doubt this race is close, mostly due to typically low voter turnout for recall elections. It IS possible that one of the challengers could win with as little as 15% of the vote, and based on polls the likely winner would be an anti-labor right-wing Republican. Californians must get out and vote.
If you would like to volunteer to phone bank, then please go online to cal-labor-fed.org, or u-e-s-f.org. They need 25,000 statewide labor volunteers to get the word out that there is a recall Tuesday, September 14th.
In good labor news, a CA judge ruled Prop 22 unconstitutional. When we fight we win!
Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash purchased Prop 22 for a measly $20 million dollars, in order to disqualify their drivers as employees. Those companies owe CA roughly $400 million and counting in back taxes.
That being said, Prop 22 won with 60% of the vote, which indicates that the next bill would be stronger and probably covering more industries.
This fight is far from over, and why it is essential for labor to vote No on the recall to protect CA from more right-to-work legislation.
September also marks the 18th month of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The FDA has officially approved the Pfizer vaccine, which gives more legal protection to businesses that are issuing their own vaccine and mask mandates.
If any members are medically cleared and open to vaccination, then please do so ASAP in order to avoid possible future work restrictions. With that said, to be eligible to work on-site more and more employers are requiring all crew members to have a Covid-19 vaccine.
Returning our focus to a new CA law, companies with 5 or more employees are now required to attend an hour long online Sexual Harassment and Abusive Conduct Prevention Training. The online training is available at The Department of Fair Employment and Housing website... and their link can be found at our website: www.local16.org.
If a member completes the training, then please email it to training@local16.org.
In closing... Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of our Tahoe Area friends, family, and wildlife affected by the Caldor Fire, and we also extend those sentiments to the Louisiana Bayou post Hurricane Ida.
With that, here's to the ballyhoo, the rising curtain, and to all the masters of the stage and screen.
Please have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. And Vote ‘No’ on the recall.
Sincerely,
The Local 16 Political Committee
Download:
9-1-21 Political Committee Report.pdf
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