“The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes (IATSE) proudly joins the Alliance for Economic Justice (AEJ) endorsing Senator John Kerry as the Democratic nominee for President”, International President Thomas C. Short stated. The IATSE General Executive Board voted unanimously to join the AEJ to endorse the Massachusetts Democrat who was unanimously endorsed by the AEJ on Wednesday afternoon February 11th.

“The bottom line is defeating George W. Bush in November. The endorsement of the Alliance for Economic Justice in solidarity as we are, we will succeed. That victory will lead to the protection and maintenance of jobs, fair trade and health care for every working family across this nation.” said Short.

The Alliance had endorsed Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt who endorsed Senator Kerry on February 6, 2004. Founded in 2003 to fight for affordable, universal health care, job creation and a strong global economy based on fair trade, the Alliance member unions are also currently uniting and cooperating to establish an international minimum wage, to develop cooperative and strategic organizing campaigns among alliance member unions and to pool the power of the groups’ millions of members into health care cooperatives to drive down the cost of health care.

Alliance unions, with approximately 5 million members nationwide, will put in place a massive grassroots voter education and mobilization effort for the remaining presidential primaries and for November’s general election. In New York and California alone, whose combined delegate count totals nearly one-fourth of those needed to secure the Democratic nomination, Alliance member unions have more than 500,000 members.

The IATSE is an International Union that represents members employed in stagecraft, motion picture and television production, and trade shows industries throughout the United States, Its Territories and Canada.

Contact: Lindajo Loftus
International Representative
818-980-3499
Lloftus@iatse-intl.com