What States Have Film Unions?
Film unions largely cover the entertainment and film production industry. With memberships to a number of different unions available to members of many states throughout the U.S. The once-tiny IATSE which represents film and television production professionals. It has now largely amassed memberships in many states throughout the country. Although film unions are prominent in many states, you’re probably wondering what states have film unions specifically and which states don’t.
Technically, every state in the country has film unions. Providing membership access to residents of the state with interest in becoming part of the union. However, each state does have their own regulations or laws regarding unionization.
This is known as “Right to Work” law. Which dictates how far unions can go in the state in terms of requiring membership among professionals.
What is a Right to Work State?
Firstly, a right to work state is under the protection of right-to-work laws. Referencing state legal standings with union security agreements.
Moreover, in a right to work state, film unions and film producers or employers are banned from negotiating contracts.
Which would require any employees that are not union members to contribute to union costs. As a part of being offered work or as a part of union representation.
Agreements
Right to work laws prohibit union security agreements. Or agreements which are negotiated between unions and employers. This would require employee membership, payment of union dues, or fees as a condition of employment.
This means that in these states, film workers are not and can not be required to become union members. Or to pay union membership fees. All as a condition of employment.
Which States
So, when someone asks what states have film unions. It’s more likely that they are wondering which states have right to work laws. Dictating how film unions operate within the state.
The following 27 states have right-to-work laws. Basically stating that film workers have the right to choose whether they want to be members of any film unions represented in the state.
Or whether they wish not to be involved in the union. And they are not required to become union members as a condition of employment in the state.
Those states are:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
U.S. States with the Most Union Memberships
So what states have film unions in the United States? Basically every state in the U.S. has film unions which workers may, or may not, be a part of.
In right to work states, there is no membership requirement. Nor can workers be denied employment based on their decision to become film union members, or not to become film union members.
Some states have higher union memberships than others. For example, Hawaii has more union members per capita than any other state in the country.
23.7% of Hawaii’s workforce are union members, although the percent of those involved in film unions could be significantly higher or lower.
Additionally, the following states have high union memberships:
- New York 22%
- Rhode Island 17.8%
- Alaska 17.7%
- Washington 17.4%
- Connecticut 17.1%
- Oregon 16.2%
- California 16.2%
- New Jersey 16.1%
- Minnesota 15.8%
- Michigan 15.2%
In Summation
So what states have film unions? Every state features the top film unions and guilds such as SAG-AFTRA, the WGA, the PGA, and the DGA. As well as various other localized unions which represent employees in the film industry.
However, if you’re in a right to work state, you cannot be forced to become a union member. And if you’re in one of the states with high unionized memberships?
You can expect a higher likelihood that your employment in the film industry will have a direct influence from union membership.
