Featured Stories
Watsonville Community Hospital nurses rally to save NICU
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Aug. 28 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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Watsonville Community Hospital nurses rally to save NICU
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Nurses at Watsonville Community Hospital (WCH) in Watsonville, California, will hold a rally on Monday, Aug. 31, to protest the Watsonville Community Hospital Administration and Pajaro Valley Health Care District Board of Supervisor's closure of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) services. Nurses at WCH are represented by California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU).
"Vulnerable newborns and their
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SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Aug. 28 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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Watsonville Community Hospital nurses rally to save NICU
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Nurses at Watsonville Community Hospital (WCH) in Watsonville, California, will hold a rally on Monday, Aug. 31, to protest the Watsonville Community Hospital Administration and Pajaro Valley Health Care District Board of Supervisor's closure of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) services. Nurses at WCH are represented by California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU).
"Vulnerable newborns and theirfamilies rely on our public safety net hospital," said Roseann Farris, RN from Watsonville in the critical care unit. "Nurses are calling on the administration and Hospital Board to reverse this decision, invest in staffing, and immediately reopen our NICU. Our community deserves a fully functioning hospital with access to life-saving care. Nurses took an oath to advocate for our patients, and we will not be silent when their health is put at risk."
Who: Watsonville Community Hospital nurses
What: Reopen our NICU Speak Out and press conference
When: Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, 12 p.m.
Where: Watsonville Community Hospital, 75 Nielson St., Watsonville, California
The sudden closure of the NICU puts the lives of newborns at serious risk. In July, Watsonville nurses had multiple meetings with hospital management and Interim CEO Tim Moran to discuss the planned closure. The nurses also held a Speak Out at the hospital's monthly Board of Directors' meeting on July 29 to urge the District to put patients before profits and reopen the NICU for our community's vulnerable newborns.
This is the latest blow to patient care at the facility. WCH administration has merged some units and threatened to close others. The NICU closure is the newest and perhaps most alarming service shutdown yet.
The only other full service acute care hospital in Santa Cruz County is Dignity Health's Dominican Hospital, leaving WCH patients with only one option for NICU care in the county. The next closest options are in Monterrey, creating transportation time that could threaten patients.
The county's agricultural workers, many immigrants and low-income, will be left without access to maternal care services in their vicinity without the WCH NICU on top of existing service cuts such as the merger of medical surgical and telemetry units or the closure of critical care unit services. CNA union nurses are taking a stand to ensure equal care and access is maintained.
CNA/NNU represents approximately 300 registered nurses at Watsonville Community Hospital.
California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/watsonville-community-hospital-nurses-rally-to-save-nicu
NEA President Becky Pringle: As They Return to School for the New Year, Students Should Not Have to Fear for Their Safety or That of Their Families
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The National Education Association issued the following statement by President Becky Pringle:
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NEA President Becky Pringle: As They Return to School for the New Year, Students Should Not Have to Fear for Their Safety or that of Their Families
National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle issued the following statement regarding continuing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) actions near or around sensitive locations like public schools and bus stops that are causing chaos and sending chilling
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The National Education Association issued the following statement by President Becky Pringle:
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NEA President Becky Pringle: As They Return to School for the New Year, Students Should Not Have to Fear for Their Safety or that of Their Families
National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle issued the following statement regarding continuing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) actions near or around sensitive locations like public schools and bus stops that are causing chaos and sending chillingeffects to families and students.
"For most of us, back-to-school means fresh chances to learn, make new friends, and reconnect with our favorite educators. For some, however, especially our most vulnerable students in diverse communities across this country, the back-to-school experience is turning into uncertainty, chaos, and fear at the hands of the Trump administration's ICE and DHS agents.
"These unnecessary and disruptive actions at the hands of ICE and DHS have no place in our communities. They are cruel and actively interfering with students' ability to learn and educators' ability to teach. Attendance, learning, and a student's basic sense of security all depend on knowing that the walk to the bus stop and the school day itself are safe.
"For those who do in fact make it to school, they sit in classrooms fearing that they will return to an empty home, with no adult there to meet them at the end of the day. Or worse, as we have seen in Danbury, Connecticut, this week, parents and caretakers were detained and disappeared as they dropped off their kids at school buses. They fear that walking to the bus stop means walking toward danger. No student should have to carry this fear into the classroom. These events and experiences shake communities to their core.
"NEA and allies took the Trump administration to court in September 2025 to restore protections that it eliminated when they entered office. Those protections kept immigration enforcement away from sensitive locations such as public schools, places of worship, and hospitals. As we await a decision on the case, NEA and its members will continue to show up for our students and their families wherever they are, and we will stand up for our public schools and communities when they are under attack."
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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.
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Original text here: https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/nea-president-becky-pringle-they-return-school-new-year-students-should-not-have-fear-their-safety
[Category: Union]
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Missouri's Fred Wellman for Election to Congress
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Missouri's Fred Wellman for Election to Congress
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AFGE says Wellman is a military veteran who will fight for a strong federal workforce
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of Fred Wellman for election to Congress representing Missouri's 2nd Congressional District in the 2026 election. Wellman won the district wide primary in August. The general election
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Missouri's Fred Wellman for Election to Congress
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AFGE says Wellman is a military veteran who will fight for a strong federal workforce
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of Fred Wellman for election to Congress representing Missouri's 2nd Congressional District in the 2026 election. Wellman won the district wide primary in August. The general electionis Nov. 3.
Wellman, a 22-year military veteran and the son of a veteran and longtime federal employee, understands that mission failure often begins when leaders fail to provide the workforce and resources necessary to accomplish the mission. Wellman has committed to rebuilding federal capacity and standing with the public servants who keep our country running.
"Fred knows firsthand that you cannot serve our veterans, support our military, or deliver the services Americans depend on without a strong, respected federal workforce. At a time when federal employees and their collective bargaining rights have been under unprecedented attack, we need lawmakers who will stand up, speak out, and fight alongside them. We believe Fred will be that kind of representative for Missouri's 2nd Congressional District," AFGE District 9 National Vice President Shane Reedy said.
Nearly 53,000 federal employees live in Missouri -caring for veterans, supporting the military, and making sure Social Security recipients get their benefits accurately and on time.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union in the country, representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers in all functions of government. AFGE represents more than 56,000 federal employees in District 9, which includes Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/ee5be8561cb94a0ca2f30031953f22fb.aspx
Kaiser nurses to hold informational pickets at 22 California hospitals
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Aug. 28 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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Kaiser nurses to hold informational pickets at 22 California hospitals
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Nurses at Kaiser Permanente facilities across the state of California will hold informational pickets on Sept. 1 to protest the Kaiser management's refusal to address RNs' deep concerns about safe staffing and AI protections. More than 25,000 nurses working for Kaiser are represented by California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU).
Kaiser nurses are in the early stages of negotiations
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SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Aug. 28 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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Kaiser nurses to hold informational pickets at 22 California hospitals
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Nurses at Kaiser Permanente facilities across the state of California will hold informational pickets on Sept. 1 to protest the Kaiser management's refusal to address RNs' deep concerns about safe staffing and AI protections. More than 25,000 nurses working for Kaiser are represented by California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU).
Kaiser nurses are in the early stages of negotiationson a new union contract and want the public to understand their key issues. The RNs urge management to invest in nursing staff and agree to a contract that provides protections against untested and unregulated implementations of artificial intelligence technologies, all in order to prioritize patients over Kaiser's billions of dollars in income, investments, and reserves.
Who: Registered nurses at 22 Kaiser facilities
What: Informational pickets for safe staffing, AI protections
When and Where: Tuesday, Sept. 1, full list of times and locations below
"High-quality patient care starts with safe staffing on every unit on every shift at every facility," said Michelle Gutierrez-Vo, RN in the Adult and Family Medicine Department at Kaiser Fremont Medical Center. "Across its network, Kaiser is constantly trying to cut staff. That's unacceptable for us as nurses, and it endangers our patients and their care."
"We want Kaiser to understand that our position is simple," said Deb Capistrano, RN in the Telemetry Department at Kaiser San Francisco Medical Center. "New technology must be tested, regulated, and include us in the conversation about its implementation. Anything less threatens our practice as nurses and our patients' health.
Representing more than 25,000 nurses at 22 Kaiser facilities across the Golden State, CNA has more than 100,000 members statewide and is an affiliate of NNU, the country's largest nurses union, which represents more than 225,000 nurses nationwide.
Locations and times for Sept. 1 pickets (alphabetical by location)
Antioch Medical Center
4501 Sand Creek Rd., Antioch, Calif.
8 to 10 a.m.
Fremont Medical Center
39400 Paseo Padre Pkwy., Fremont, Calif.
6:45 to 8:45 a.m.
Fresno Medical Center
7300 N. Fresno St., Fresno, Calif.
7:45 to 9:45 a.m.
Los Angeles Medical Center
4867 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif.
7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Manteca Medical Center
1777 W. Yosemite Ave., Manteca, Calif.
7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Modesto Medical Center
4601 Dale Rd., Modesto, Calif.
8 to 10 a.m.
Oakland Medical Center
3600 Broadway, Oakland, Calif.
7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Redwood City Medical Center
1100 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City, Calif.
2:15 to 4:15 p.m.
Richmond Medical Center
901 Nevin Ave., Richmond, Calif.
1 to 3 p.m.
Roseville Medical Center
1600 Eureka Rd., Roseville, Calif.
7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Sacramento Medical Center
2025 Morse Ave., Sacramento, Calif.
7:15 to 9:15 a.m.
San Francisco Medical Center
2425 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, Calif.
7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
San Jose Medical Center
250 Hospital Pkwy., San Jose, Calif.
3:30 to 5:30 pm.
San Leandro Medical Center
2500 Merced St., San Leandro, Calif.
2 to 5 p.m.
San Rafael Medical Center
99 Montecillo Rd., San Rafael, Calif.
7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Santa Clara Medical Center
700 Lawrence Expy., Santa Clara, Calif.
7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Santa Rosa Medical Center
401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa, Calif.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
South Sacramento Medical Center
6600 Bruceville Rd., Sacramento, Calif.
7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
South San Francisco
1200 El Camino Real, South San Francisco, Calif.
7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Vacaville Medical Center
1 Quality Dr., Vacaville, Calif.
8 to 10 a.m.
Vallejo Medical Center
975 Sereno Dr., Vallejo, Calif.
7:45 to 9:45 a.m.
Walnut Creek Medical Center
1425 S. Main St., Walnut Creek, Calif.
2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/kaiser-nurses-to-hold-informational-pickets-at-22-california-hospitals
Teamsters-Backed Waste Accountability Bill Heads to Governor's Desk
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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Teamsters-Backed Waste Accountability Bill Heads to Governor's Desk
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Press Contact: Lena Melentijevic Phone: (347) 208-2279 Email: LMelentijevic@teamster.org
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - The Teamsters applaud the California Legislature for passing Senate Bill 1371 (SB 1371) out of both chambers. Authored by Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, the bill would prevent municipalities from being forced to pay for waste and recycling services that aren't rendered because of a work stoppage.
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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Teamsters-Backed Waste Accountability Bill Heads to Governor's Desk
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Press Contact: Lena Melentijevic Phone: (347) 208-2279 Email: LMelentijevic@teamster.org
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - The Teamsters applaud the California Legislature for passing Senate Bill 1371 (SB 1371) out of both chambers. Authored by Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, the bill would prevent municipalities from being forced to pay for waste and recycling services that aren't rendered because of a work stoppage.SB 1371 now goes to the Governor's desk to be signed into law.
"On behalf of Teamsters California, I extend my appreciation to every lawmaker who supported SB 1371. This important bill will make our communities safer and improve the lives of union sanitation workers," said Victor Mineros, Director of the Teamsters Solid Waste and Recycling Division and Co-Chair of Teamsters California. "But the job is not done yet. Teamsters California calls on Governor Newsom to sign SB 1371 without delay and hold multibillion-dollar waste haulers accountable."
When waste companies sign a contract with a municipality, they typically include a "force majeure" clause. This lets them walk away from their contractual obligations without facing penalties when trash goes uncollected due to major disruptions -even during labor disputes caused by management. SB 1371 closes this loophole by excluding labor disputes from the scenarios in which haulers can invoke a force majeure clause.
"Giant waste corporations should not be able to force workers, customers, and communities to pay the price of their greed," said Marcus Ford, a member of Teamsters Local 396 at Republic Services. "The deck is stacked against union workers. SB 1371 would put us on a more level playing field. We call on the Governor to sign this bill into law as soon as possible."
Sanitation Teamsters across the country, including Republic Services workers in Stockton, Calif., represented by Local 439, were forced on strike last year. They extended picket lines to Southern California and the Bay Area. Next month, over 3,000 Solid Waste Teamsters throughout the Los Angeles region are set to see their contracts expire.
Teamsters California is the united voice of 250,000 workers across dozens of industries who power the state's economy and communities every single day. For more information, go to teamstersca.org.
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Original text here: https://teamster.org/2026/08/teamsters-backed-waste-accountability-bill-heads-to-governors-desk/
Statement on Wayne County Judge's Hollow Contempt Claims against Striking Public Defenders by UAW President Shawn Fain
DETROIT, Michigan, Aug. 27 [Category: Union] -- The United Automobile Workers posted the following statement by President Shawn Fain:
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Statement on Wayne County Judge's Hollow Contempt Claims against Striking Public Defenders by UAW President Shawn Fain
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You don't get to turn the courthouse into a hammer against UAW members at Neighborhood Defender Service because they went on strike for fair treatment in the workplace.
If Judge Darnella Williams-Claybourne is proceeding with criminal charges against two public defenders, members of UAW Local 2325, over missed court dates while on strike,
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DETROIT, Michigan, Aug. 27 [Category: Union] -- The United Automobile Workers posted the following statement by President Shawn Fain:
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Statement on Wayne County Judge's Hollow Contempt Claims against Striking Public Defenders by UAW President Shawn Fain
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You don't get to turn the courthouse into a hammer against UAW members at Neighborhood Defender Service because they went on strike for fair treatment in the workplace.
If Judge Darnella Williams-Claybourne is proceeding with criminal charges against two public defenders, members of UAW Local 2325, over missed court dates while on strike,the people of Wayne County have every right to ask: What is going on here? A labor dispute is not a license to punish workers for standing together. It is further outrageous considering that striking workers were locked out of their office building, their case files, their emails, and their calendars.
This is a heavy-handed move that sends a nasty message to every employee who dares to organize, especially those who work in the public interest. It's unacceptable intimidation.
Going on strike does not mean a public defender suddenly stops caring about clients. It does not mean they turned their backs on the defenseless. And it certainly does not mean they surrendered their rights as workers. Public defenders went on strike last month precisely because they knew they couldn't continue to do their critical jobs for their clients and our community without creating a more sustainable workplace.
Our members fought for fair wages, healthcare, and better workplace standards. We are proud of the collective bargaining agreement that was reached, and they have been hard at work representing the people of Wayne County since then.
Judge Darnella Williams-Claybourne is the sole judge in Wayne County seeking to punish UAW workers, out of the over forty judges in the county who presided over hearings for which NDS attorneys did not appear during the strike. The UAW demands that the proceedings for criminal contempt be dropped immediately. Workers should not have to choose between their livelihood and their basic right to stand together.
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Original text here: https://uaw.org/statement-on-wayne-county-judges-hollow-contempt-claims-against-striking-public-defenders-by-uaw-president-shawn-fain/
SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA and WME Statement on Protecting Performer Rights Against Unauthorized AI Use
LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 27 -- The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) issued the following news release:
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SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA and WME Statement on Protecting Performer Rights Against Unauthorized AI Use
SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, and leading talent agencies and organizations--including CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA, and WME--have a shared commitment to safeguarding talent's names, voices, likenesses, and creative works in the face of emerging AI technology. We are dedicated to finding the best way to support
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LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 27 -- The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) issued the following news release:
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SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA and WME Statement on Protecting Performer Rights Against Unauthorized AI Use
SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, and leading talent agencies and organizations--including CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA, and WME--have a shared commitment to safeguarding talent's names, voices, likenesses, and creative works in the face of emerging AI technology. We are dedicated to finding the best way to supportthe ethical use of talent likenesses in AI-generated content.
Authenticity is core to the Cameo experience for talent and fans alike. Ensuring that talent feel safe and in control of their name, image, and likeness is essential; talent on Cameo retain full ownership of their submitted videos, and Cameo's policies prohibit any account from using AI to generate deepfake videos of talent without their explicit authorization. Cameo does not use talent videos to create or train AI digital replicas without talent permission.
The talent agencies and organizations of this coalition are supportive of Cameo's efforts to protect talent and their livelihoods, which continue to evolve. Moving forward, this coalition remains dedicated to strengthening both policy and technological safeguards to ensure that talent rights are protected in the continually evolving landscape.
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About SAG-AFTRA
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at SAGAFTRA.org.
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Original text here: https://www.sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-cameo-caa-music-artist-coalition-uta-and-wme-statement-protecting-performer-rights
[Category: Union]
