Hollywood unions back Trump call for federal production incentive

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) - Three unions representing Southern California entertainment workers welcomed President Donald Trump's support today for a federal production incentive aimed at stemming the loss of film and television jobs to foreign countries.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), SAG-AFTRA and Teamsters Local 399 urged Congress to act on Trump's call for a federal incentive, saying it would help make U.S. film and television production more competitive with other countries.

"Production is the lifeblood of our industry and the communities that support it,'' SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin and National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a joint statement. "President Trump's vocal and determined leadership in calling for federal production incentives is exactly what the entertainment industry needs."  

The SAG-AFTRA leaders also credited union member Jon Voight, whom Trump appointed as a special ambassador to Hollywood, for advocating for increased domestic production.

"A federal film and television production incentive will help bring more productions and thousands of jobs back to the United States, while creating new opportunities for entertainment professionals and the many businesses that support our industry in communities across the country,'' Astin and Crabtree-Ireland said.   

IATSE said Trump's endorsement adds momentum to a yearslong push for a federal incentive.  

"IATSE welcomes President Donald Trump's public endorsement of a federal film and television production incentive and is encouraged to see growing support for a policy the union has championed for years,'' the union said.

Trump called on Congress Monday to approve a federal production incentive, saying the loss of entertainment production overseas has hurt California and other parts of the country.  

"Congress should approve, immediately, a Federal Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America,'' Trump wrote on Truth Social. "It can be done quickly, accurately, efficiently and, importantly, will benefit ALL of America. What we watch on the Silver Screen should be made in what was once the Movie and Motion Picture Capital of the World. Let's get this done!''

Trump did not specify the size or structure of the incentive, but said bipartisan meetings with congressional leaders were being arranged.   

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, called on Congress to immediately take up and pass a federal film tax incentive, saying it could help return jobs that have moved to other countries.

Teamsters Local 399 also welcomed Trump's support, saying it was continuing to work with an industry coalition to develop a federal film and television incentive aimed at protecting and growing U.S. jobs.

"We applaud this step in the right direction and the hard work of all of our coalition partners to keep this moving forward!'' the union said in a statement.

The union noted that the concept of a federal film and television tax incentive has drawn bipartisan support and said Trump's endorsement could help advance the effort.  

"Now, let's `get this done,''' Teamsters Local 399 said.   

Teamsters Local 399 represents about 6,500 motion picture industry workers in California and New Mexico.  

IATSE said it was the first U.S. labor organization to call for a federal incentive to strengthen domestic film and television production.   

"The union has long believed a federal incentive is a necessary tool to level the playing field with countries that have aggressively attracted production through generous, and often permanent incentive programs,'' IATSE said.  

The union said it has been working with Voight and other entertainment industry representatives to develop a framework for a federal incentive.   

IATSE said it was also working with a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress "to draft, introduce, and pass federal incentive legislation as quickly as possible to return and maintain film jobs in America."

SAG-AFTRA similarly said the entertainment industry has lost productions and middle-class jobs to countries offering more competitive incentives. The union also pointed to artificial intelligence and other
technological changes as reasons for strengthening domestic film and television production.  

"We urge Congress to act swiftly on the president's call,'' Astin and Crabtree-Ireland said. "SAG-AFTRA stands ready to work with the administration, Congress and our industry partners to turn this momentum into concrete policy that delivers more production and good union jobs here at home.''  

California has also expanded its efforts to keep production in the state. The state's Film and Television Tax Credit Program was increased from $330 million to $750 million annually beginning with the 2025 26 fiscal year and continuing through 2029-30.

The state's Legislative Analyst's Office has said California has faced growing competition during the past two decades from other states and countries offering financial incentives and lower labor costs. Production was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2023 Hollywood strikes and the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.  

Trump's endorsement represents a shift from an approach he floated in 2025, when he threatened a 100% tariff on movies produced outside the United States. Questions were raised at the time about how such a tariff could be structured or imposed on films.

The Motion Picture Association also welcomed Trump's support for a federal production incentive.

"For over a century, American studios, casts, and crews have produced the films and series that the world wants to see,'' Motion Picture Association Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin said in a statement Monday. "A federal incentive would be a landmark step toward bringing more production to local communities in all 50 states, strengthening our nation's economy, and making our country a more competitive place to produce, create, and tell great stories.''