Actors’ Equity Association announced that Equity’s National Council has voted to endorse J. B. Pritzker’s campaign for Governor on behalf of the 1,924 Equity members who live and work in the state of Illinois.
"J.B. Pritzker understands the urgency and value of supporting the right of workers to organize and bargain contracts that provide fair wages and working conditions. As Governor, he will work every day to strengthen Illinois’ economy and the welfare and dignity of the people of this beautiful state. We applaud him for supporting a $15-an-hour minimum wage, advocating for health care as a fundamental human right, and recognizing that robust arts funding is both a cultural investment and a major economic driver," said Kate Shindle, President of Actors’ Equity Association.
Pritzker has received endorsements from a variety of labor unions, including the Illinois AFL-CIO, and the Laborers' International Union of North America. His opponent, Gov. Bruce Rauner, has led the charge to attack workers, supporting "right to work for less" laws, and vetoed a bill that kept Illinois from becoming the third state, after California and New York, to adopt a $15 minimum wage. Illinois ranked 50th among the states for arts funding on a per capita basis in 2017 under his leadership.
Equity’s official public policy priorities include defending and protecting the right to collectivelybargain, a strong minimum wage, stronger federal and state arts funding, gun violence prevention, universal health care, tax fairness and LGBTQ non-discrimination protections.
October 29, 2018
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