SAG-AFTRA President Focuses on Building Worker Power in National Press Club Remarks

As devastating as it has been, the pandemic has provided an opportunity to reevaluate the importance of building worker power. As the world slowly recovers, it is time to reset expectations and come to a shared understanding of the true economic value of work.

That was the message from SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris during a virtual gathering on May 12 organized by the National Press Club.

“It’s become a common refrain during the pandemic: ‘I can’t wait for things to get back to normal,’ she said. “We can do so much more than return to normal. We can define a new normal. And in order to do that, the labor movement needs to lead.”

National Press Club President Lisa Nicole Matthews introduced Carteris and echoed the sentiment, noting the importance of frontline workers during the pandemic. The National Press Club is a Washington, D.C.,-based professional organization that includes some of the world’s top journalists, including SAG-AFTRA members.

In her address, Carteris spoke about the importance of unions, beginning with a personal story, recounting a serious injury she sustained 15 years ago while filming in Canada. She said it was the realization that her union was there for her when she was abandoned by her employer that was the impetus for her activism, and it spurred her decision to serve the union in a leadership role.

“My union had my back. They made sure I had the healthcare I needed, because that’s what unions do,” she said.

After her remarks, Carteris took questions about the importance of solidarity and diversity, production safety and the union’s continued work to eliminate sexual harassment in the industry. She talked about building worker power by passing the PRO Act, a proposed federal law that would protect workers’ ability to join unions and collectively bargain, and the critical importance of inclusion on set and in the newsroom. And she reiterated that the disruption caused by COVID-19 is a chance to change things for the better.

“Despite the challenges we face, we are in a moment of opportunity,” she said. “If we can seize this opportunity, we can build on the progress workers have made. We can welcome a whole new generation of union members and be a catalyst for the change that we need in our workplaces and beyond.

“I know that if we can rise to meet this moment, the same labor movement that built the middle class in America can build the future I want for my daughters and all of our children,” she said.

Watch the event here.