Professionals Share Their Experiences Joining Together in Union

I feel like we’re more apt to talk to one another more openly about issues we’re having on productions or reach out to one another for help.
— Dan Pinto, storyboard artist and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) member
The union to me represents that [working toward a common goal] because we’re working towards better benefits and representing constituents where our voice matters. Just being part of the process, the decision making process, is why I became an active member.
— Eve Ronceros, FAA employee and Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) member

One of the biggest things is that we got [with our union] everybody paid family and medical leave.
— Emily Miller, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh librarian and United Steelworkers (USW) member
The union connects us and so we meet more people who are doing the same thing we’re doing.
— Raz Golden, associate director and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) member

We, like the workers, we’re the union. And I learned that if we succeeded we’d be able to negotiate as equals with the administration and senior management.
— Kate Roche, nurse educator and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) member
The union is the reason why I’m so close to many of my coworkers.
— Fiona Pestana, Crooked Media employee and Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) member

This was really the first time I learned about unions and how, and the purpose that they serve and so learning that the worker can regain this sense of power, of independence, but also assurance that the company will do right by them was by far the biggest thing that I was able to learn.
— Vivian Villalobos, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) member and clinical laboratory professional
Our bargaining unit has so much trust in each other to keep each other safe and keep us protected knowing that we are unionized and that if issues do arise that we can go to each other and figure out how to get things dealt with most effectively.
— Bear Spiegel, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) member and senior bookseller at Barnes & Noble

Members really are excited about all the changes that have happened at Groton Hill Music and really want to be invested in the future and felt like by organizing we would have a guaranteed seat at the table to help make some of those decisions that affect our future.
— Mary-Lynne Bohn, American Federation of Musicians (AFM) member and principal trumpet for the vista philharmonic orchestra
And I’ve just seen so many people who,  you know, were perhaps really close to washing out because of the the conditions before, have really reclaimed a sense of  the power that they have there. ...there’s a sense of forward momentum at Casa now that wasn’t present before we organized and it really is night and day.
— Riley Holmes, Actors' Equity Association member and performer at Casa Bonita