Here’s a quick start guide for how members of Congress can champion union artists and arts workers from their first day in office.
1. Prioritize the arts in your labor policy agenda
Consider assigning arts policy to your labor staffer. The arts employ more than five million people, including AEMI union members; help to generate four percent of the U.S. GDP; and create a positive trade balance. Audiences spend about $40 per person, per event, beyond the cost of admission, in the communities where they attend arts and cultural programs.
2. Protect workers’ rights and make a seat at the table for union voices
Meeting directly with AEMI unions early in your term is one of the simplest ways to give arts workers a seat at the table. AEMI union members rely on proper employee classification for their workplace rights. They have helped build a sector through collective bargaining where people can work for multiple employers in flexible W-2 jobs that provide family-supporting pay and high-quality portable benefits that are consistent from job to job.
3. Fight for increased federal arts funding
Join the Congressional Arts Caucus. Sign the annual National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) appropriations request letter. Support a meaningful pathway to fund the NEA at $1 per capita. Each action supports the many union artists and arts workers who earn their living working on nonprofit productions that receive funding from the NEA.
4. Protect copyright and individual intellectual property rights
In today’s AI era, effective enforcement of copyright and individual intellectual property rights is more important than ever for union artists and arts workers to earn compensation and benefits, and to secure future career opportunities. Support the NO FAKES Act, the Copyright Labeling and Ethical AI Reporting Act (CLEAR) Act, the Transparency and Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks (TRAIN) Act, and AI Labeling Act.
5. Support tax fairness and fair compensation for artists and arts workers
Support two bills that would close gaps in how artists are taxed and paid. The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act would update the Qualified Performing Artist deduction, modernizing an existing tax code provision so middle-class arts workers can again deduct common business expenses. The American Music Fairness Act would finally compensate performers for AM/FM plays.
DPE and the AEMI unions are ready to brief Congressional offices on supporting union artists and arts workers. For questions, please contact DPE Assistant to the President/Legislative Director Michael Wasser at mwasser@dpeaflcio.org.
October 2026