Tyler McIntosh

@iatse political/legislative director | eastern shore marylander | bucknell alum | icu nurse husband & rad dad | tweets are my own

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

IATSE Local 868 & B868 members and allies held an informational picket outside the Kennedy Center to protest the Center using a temporary shutdown to permanently eliminate union jobs.

Congressman @RepDarrenSoto (D-FL) came and stood in solidarity with the workers!

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

IATSE stands in unwavering solidarity with Fernando Rocha of Local 15, who was recently detained by ICE. Fernando is a vital member of his community, and a leader during recent contract negotiations. His detention is a heartbreaking example of how these policies harm working families.

No worker should live in fear for simply doing their job. We continue to demand Fernando’s immediate release and call on labor allies, community members, and elected officials to stand with us.

[Jill N. Tokuda @jilltokuda]

Pumped up & excited to speak at the @IATSE 70th Quadrennial Convention here in Hawaii. These are our storytellers, truth seekers & truth keepers, and they are on the front lines every day protecting the rights of labor & democracy itself. 🙌

[Department for Professional Employees @DPEaflcio]

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industries (AEMI) unions affiliated with DPE that have members who work in public media released the following statement denouncing the passage of the Rescissions Act of 2025: https://t.co/vjY9Sj5xe9

[AFL-CIO ✊ @AFLCIO]

The reckless provision in the Senate’s budget bill that would have banned AI regulations for years was rejected and removed—a huge relief for working people.

Now is time for senators to stand with working people. Keep fighting and make your voices heard. When we fight, we win!

[AFL-CIO ✊ @AFLCIO]

The Blackburn/Cruz amendment on AI regulation is not an improvement – in fact, the new “undue or disproportionate burden" language is worse.

We urge senators to pass an amendment to strike the state AI provision in full and vote no on this so-called "compromise."

[AFL-CIO ✊ @AFLCIO]

Across the labor movement, America's unions are urging the Senate to remove a reckless provision in the budget reconciliation bill that bans states from passing or enforcing laws that protect workers from harmful and unregulated AI for the next decade. https://t.co/aLLJZ5S8bF

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

STATEMENT: Federal Raids and Military Crackdown Jeopardize Freedoms, Communities, and Jobs:

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

Public media is under attack.

The White House wants Congress to claw back approved funding for public media, putting IATSE jobs and educational programming at risk.

Call 202-224-3121 and tell your Representative: Protect public media funding and protect our jobs.

[AFL-CIO ✊ @AFLCIO]

The labor movement in DC and across the country is standing with @seiucalifornia President David Huerta, calling for his immediate release and peacefully demanding an end to unjust ICE raids. #FreeDavidEndRaids

[AFL-CIO ✊ @AFLCIO]

The Supreme Court’s decision to allow President Trump to fire NLRB and MSPB members is a gift to union-busting CEOs and a slap in the face of every worker. Workers deserve a fair shot to join and form unions, but the court has turned its back on them. https://t.co/Pktd5W2LpB

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

Statement on Three US Policy Developments Regarding Artificial Intelligence for Behind-the-Scenes Entertainment Workers:

1. Regarding the U.S. Copyright Office’s “Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, Part 3: Generative AI Training” Report:

“We commend the U.S. Copyright Office’s recent release of Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, Part 3: Generative AI Training.

The report states that AI training is not categorically fair use and that fair use determinations depend on context and degree. This aligns with well-established case law, including the recent Supreme Court decision in Warhol v. Goldsmith.

The report concludes that “making commercial use of vast troves of copyrighted works to produce expressive content that competes with them in existing markets, especially where this is accomplished through illegal access, goes beyond established fair use boundaries.”

This finding echoes IATSE’s position that tech billionaires and AI developers cannot circumvent established U.S. copyright law and commit intellectual property theft by scraping the internet for copyrighted works to train their models without permission from rightsholders.

The theft of copyrighted works – domestically and internationally – threatens our hard-won health care benefits and retirement security.

In our view, the report offers a comprehensive, balanced, and common-sense approach that emphasizes the need to apply existing U.S. copyright law to generative AI training, thereby prioritizing the people involved in the creative process.”

2. IATSE Questions Legality of the Administration’s Attempt to Fire Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office Shira Perlmutter

“IATSE is deeply concerned by the Trump Administration’s attempt to dismiss Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, just one day after the release of a report on the use of copyrighted materials to train generative AI models.

In this case, Perlmutter’s termination does not appear lawful or legitimate because Perlmutter is an employee of the legislative branch, not the executive.

This situation remains unresolved, echoing the potentially unlawful dismissal of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Chair Gwynne Wilcox whose termination was challenged in court and remains under legal scrutiny.

This is a developing situation, and whether in fact Perlmutter’s firing was in retaliation for releasing the AI report is unclear.

However, it wouldn’t surprise us to learn that tech billionaires are wielding their influence to interfere in our government for their own financial benefit.

Shira Perlmutter has served with distinction as Register of Copyrights and she must be reinstated at the behest of Congress.”

3. IATSE Strongly Opposes Proposed Ban on State-Level AI Regulations Contained in House Republican Budget Reconciliation Package

“We strongly oppose a provision in the House Republican budget reconciliation package that would impose a ten-year ban on enforcement or enactment of all state-level artificial intelligence (AI) policies.

This proposal, again backed by tech billionaires and corporations, seeks to override the will of the American people for common-sense AI safeguards, transfer sole authority to a historically gridlocked and slow-moving Congress, and delete all existing state AI policy to make the wild west AI landscape even more lawless.

So-called red states and blue states alike have been proactive in addressing the challenges posed by AI.

For instance, Tennessee’s ELVIS Act protects artists from unauthorized AI-generated voice and likeness reproductions.

New York’s AI Bill of Rights aims to ensure transparency and accountability in automated decision-making.

In just the 2024 legislative session alone, at least 31 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands adopted AI resolutions or enacted AI legislation.

Ultimately these initiatives demonstrate the critical role state-level policies play in safeguarding workers and consumers in the evolving AI landscape.

The proposed federal preemption threatens the jobs of behind-the-scenes entertainment workers and undermines the integrity of the American film, television, animation, gaming, and broader entertainment sectors.

As of today, the House budget reconciliation bill is a proposal, but we’re monitoring and there’s still time for us to push back, and for the bill to change.

Removing the ban on state AI protections is one of many of IATSE’s key priorities with respect to the budget reconciliation package.

We urge lawmakers to reject this overreach and support policies that uphold fairness, transparency, and respect for American jobs in the creative industries.”

[AFL-CIO ✊ @AFLCIO]

National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities grants support good union job opportunities for working people in the arts.

Call your representative and ask them to support increased funding for the NEA and NEH! https://t.co/MijeeQP4iQ

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

The American film and TV industry isn’t just about entertainment. It supports thousands of good-paying union jobs, drives economic growth, and strengthens our culture.

But right now, we’re facing a serious threat.

International competition is pulling productions overseas, lured by aggressive financial incentives. In just the last two years, tens of thousands of IATSE members have lost jobs.

While other countries are stepping up to support film and TV production — the U.S. is falling behind.

We're fighting for a bold, national response.

🎥 IATSE is calling on the federal government to act:

✅ Implement a federal film & TV production tax incentive to supplement state efforts.
✅ Reinstate Section 199 to reward domestic film & TV production.
✅ Extend Section 181 expensing to preserve and grow U.S.-based productions.
✅ Ensure reciprocal trade practices that establish fair competition for all IATSE members, Canadian and American alike.

💪 These steps will strengthen a signature American industry and ensure we don’t fade into the background of global competition.

See our new webpage on fighting for U.S. film and TV jobs here: https://t.co/lQOqAvanFA

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

IATSE and our fellow Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industries (AEMI) Unions are prepared to fight back against efforts to eliminate the NEA, NEH, and CPB. Nonprofit arts, humanities, and public media enjoy broad, bipartisan public support and sustain thousands of family-supporting union jobs.

Shutting down these institutions would be a radical action that would harm everyday people.

Full statement: https://t.co/GhI2tcP2OI

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

IATSE has issued the following statement on President Trump's movie tariff announcement:

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

Once a union-buster, always a union buster.

Our statement regarding the Administration’s executive order stripping 700,000 Federal Workers of their union rights:

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

🎭 BREAKING: IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb Meets with Kennedy Center Workers Amid Recent Cancellations

During his visit, Loeb reaffirmed the vital role that stagehands, wardrobe professionals, makeup artists, ticket sellers, press agents, and other skilled entertainment workers play in bringing world-class productions to life at the Kennedy Center—regardless of the content or artistic choices involved.

“Behind-the-scenes workers need to feed our families and have neither participated in any decisions relating to booked content, nor have we considered social issues as a matter of whether we service a production in the history of our relationship at the Kennedy Center,” Loeb stated.

“We have a contract and fulfill our end of the deal. We are the best, safest, most experienced workforce available and we’ve worked in the building since it opened 53 years ago, throughout all the challenges and successes the institution has seen."

It is our hope the Center can continue to offer the best to the public when it comes to promoting world-class productions, while protecting freedom of speech and expression, free of censorship in the spirit of foundational democratic values.”

IATSE has seven IATSE Locals representing labor at the Kennedy Center—including:
💪 Local 22 (Stagehands)
👚 Local 772 (Wardrobe)
💄💇‍♂️ Local 798 (Make-up Artists and Hair Stylists)
🎟️ Local 868 (Treasurers & Ticket Sellers)
☎️ Local B868 (Instant Charge/Telephone Sales and Information)
🧑‍🎨 Local USA 829 (Scenic Artists)
📢 ATPAM Local 18032 (Theatrical Press Agents & Managers)

For these folks, as well as touring crews working under IATSE’s Pink Contracts, cancelled shows and empty seats directly impact hundreds of families.

IATSE urges artists and producers to consider the workers behind the scenes who make world class live performances at the Kennedy Center possible.

When productions walk away, it leaves more than just an empty stage — they leave behind critical opportunities for skilled middle-class workers to earn living in the arts, and forego a chance to inspire American audiences at this historic institution.

[AFL-CIO ✊ @AFLCIO]

We commend the court’s decision to uphold the integrity and independence of the NLRB by ordering Gwynne Wilcox to be returned to her seat. A president cannot undermine an independent agency by removing a member of the board because they disagree with them. https://t.co/hCUbYRyStJ

[IATSE // #IASolidarity @IATSE]

The Department of Labor is supposed to work for the safety and rights of ALL American workers!

We won't accept Billionaire interests trying to transform the Dept. of Labor into another tool of corporate greed.

SO, WE OUT HERE!