The Sherrill endorsement marks the first time that the century-old union for actors and stage managers working in live entertainment has endorsed in a New Jersey governor's race.
New York — Actors' Equity Association announced that Equity's National Council has voted to endorse Mikie Sherrill's campaign for New Jersey Governor on behalf of the more than 51,000 actors and stage managers working in live entertainment. Roughly one-third of Equity's membership lives in the New York-Newark-Jersey City Metropolitan Statistical Area.
"Representative Sherrill has a stellar record when it comes to supporting the labor movement," said Al Vincent Jr., executive director of Actors' Equity Association. "We know she will bring that commitment to the highest office in the state of New Jersey, where so many of our members live and work. Now, more than ever, we need voices like Sherrill in executive offices speaking up for and protecting workers."
Equity's public policy priorities include defending and protecting the right to collectively bargain, a prevailing wage in the arts, racial justice, a strong minimum wage, stronger federal and state arts funding, gun violence prevention, universal federal health care, tax fairness and LGBTQ non-discrimination protections. Cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and other federal grant programs by the Trump administration has made state funding for arts programming essential.
Equity's members have been active in campaigns endorsed by the union. As an example, last year The Philadelphia Inquirer did a feature on Equity members engaging voters and knocking on more than 10,000 doors in Philadelphia on behalf of the union's endorsed candidates for federal office.
ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks
July 29, 2025
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