In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) members and allies sent over 107,000 letters to Congress urging lawmakers to include displaced entertainment workers in the next legislative relief package. Congress has recently passed a third package of emergency relief legislation, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security CARES Act. This bill will provide tangible and immediate economic relief for entertainment workers across the United States, many of whom found themselves out of work overnight due to COVID-19 related cancellations across all sectors of the entertainment industry.
Entertainment workers will now receive economic support to help make up for the income lost due to cancelled or postponed work, and that money will soon be in the hands of working families. The bill also increases federal arts funding – $75 million each – for the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Corporation for Public Broadcasting for grants to assist arts nonprofits and other employers in financing projects and performances.
IATSE commends Congress for expanding access to economic support for loss of work related to COVID-19, and will remain focused on ensuring that subsequent COVID-19 relief legislation includes pension relief, access to affordable healthcare, and economic support for the entertainment industry to put people back to work.
For more information please visit www.IATSE.net
