The Proof of Workforce Foundation, also known simply as Proof of Workforce, is a labor-focused education and advocacy initiative that promotes the adoption of Bitcoin and blockchain technology within labor unions. The group was founded in 2023 by Dominick Bei, a professional firefighter, Bitcoin advocate, and candidate for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) board. In 2025, Proof of Workforce aided IATSE Local 728, a 3,000-member chapter of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, in becoming the first private-sector union to invest assets in Bitcoin. 1 2 3
Background
Proof of Workforce was founded in 2024 by Dom Bei, a Bitcoin advocate and professional firefighter, whom claimed that Bitcoin could become an economic security tool for labor union workers due to its decentralized nature. The organization has advocated in favor of having Bitcoin used as an investment for state-employee labor-union pension funds. The group promotes Bitcoin over other digital currencies claiming that that “there are thousands of ‘crypto’ projects out there. Use extreme caution. It’s why we say ‘Bitcoin not Crypto.’…The rest are just distractions.” 2
Activities
The Proof of Workforce Foundation promotes Bitcoin usage by labor unions through educational resources, workshops, and curated reading materials to union members and labor organizers explaining how Bitcoin works and how to store it. Proof of Workforce also partners with pro-labor Bitcoin advocates and union locals to promote Bitcoin investments as a method for protecting worker savings from inflation, asset seizure, or institutional mismanagement. 4
One of its educational programs is “A Blueprint to Orange-Pilling your Union, from the First-Ever Union to Self-Custody Bitcoin,” which explains the Santa Monica Firefighters Union’s investment in Bitcoin. According to the report, the group recommends the board of a union consider an initial investment of one dollar per member in Bitcoin and recommends holding the assets in self-custody, meaning holding the assets without a third-party custodian like a bank, exchange, or company. 4
In 2025, IATSE Local 728, the Hollywood-based Studio Electrical Lighting Technicians union and a chapter of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, became the first private-sector union in the United States to invest in Bitcoin as part of its financial reserves. According to a report by NASDAQ magazine, Proof of Workforce had assisted the union in adopting the new investment, with a statement from union claiming, “[w]ith Bitcoin, we aren’t just negotiating contracts, we are securing economic freedom. We are setting the standard. We are taking action. We are proving that unions don’t just fight for today, they build for the future.” 3
Leadership
Dominick (Dom) Bei is the founder of the Proof of Workforce Foundation. He originally worked as a California firefighter and was a Bitcoin advocate who, in 2025, announced a campaign for the board of trustees of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). 1
References
- “Who We Are.” Proof of Workforce. Accessed April 2, 2025. https://proofofworkforce.org/whoweare/
- “FAQ.” Proof of Workforce. Accessed April 2, 2025. https://proofofworkforce.org/faq/
- “IATSE Local 728 Becomes First Private-Sector Union to Invest in Bitcoin.” Nasdaq. March 13, 2025. Accessed April 2, 2025. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/iatse-local-728-becomes-first-private-sector-union-invest-bitcoin
- Bei, Dom. “Proof of Workforce Pt.3.” Bei Watch. June 11, 2023. Accessed April 2, 2025. https://beiwatch.substack.com/p/proof-of-workforce-pt3?r=iiylk