DETROIT – June 18, 2025 – IATSE Local 38, the union representing more than 1,000 behind-the-scenes professionals in Michigan’s entertainment and cultural sectors, today announced its endorsement of Mike Duggan for governor of Michigan as an Independent. IATSE and its members believe Mike Duggan will be the governor who will advocate for working people and understands that good jobs behind the scenes are just as vital as those in the spotlight.
IATSE members have played a vital role in Detroit’s comeback story. From building sets and running lights to managing stages and rigging sound systems, their work has powered the city’s cultural resurgence, helping make Detroit a destination for world-class entertainment and live performances.
“Mike Duggan has always been a leader who puts people and results ahead of politics. As mayor of Detroit, he brought the city back from the brink self-destruction with smart investments and a deep commitment to working families,” said John S. Kinsora, president of IATSE Local 38. “His decision to run for governor as an Independent shows that he’s focused on the people, not the party. Michigan needs that kind of no-nonsense leadership and I know he’s the one to deliver that.”
As mayor, Duggan partnered with IATSE members to support the creative industries that have helped bring people and pride back to the city. He led major investments in Detroit’s entertainment infrastructure, including the public financing that helped make the Music Hall expansion possible. That project created jobs for union workers, revitalized a historic venue and strengthened Detroit’s position as a hub for culture and the arts.
Duggan’s commitment to working people goes beyond cultural venues. In Detroit, he led efforts to increase local hiring, invested in skilled trades training and worked to ensure that economic development includes careers for those who do not take a four-year college path. For IATSE Local 38 members, that means a stronger foundation for long-term work, fair contracts and a voice in how growth happens.
“IATSE members represent the kind of skilled, hardworking people who make Detroit and the rest of the state of Michigan shine,” said Duggan. “They don’t seek the spotlight, but without them, the show doesn’t go on. As an Independent governor, I’ll keep doing what I’ve always done as mayor, deliver results and fight for the working people who move this state forward. I’m grateful to have their support.”
IATSE joins 14,000 carpenters, floorlayers and millwrights from the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights (MRCC), more than 11,000 men and women from the Detroit Police Officers Association (DPOA), the Detroit Police Lieutenants & Sergeants Association (DPLSA), the Detroit Fire Fighters Association (DFFA), 7,000 hospitality workers from UNITE HERE Local 24 and more than 160 Michigan clergy and faith leaders in endorsing Mike Duggan for governor.
As an Independent, Duggan is running to put people over partisanship and lead with a focus on what really matters: a better education for our children, safer communities for families and inclusive economic growth that reaches every corner of Michigan.
