Washington, D.C. — The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) is condemning management of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, alleging the Kennedy Center is violating its union contract and laying off workers without meeting its legal obligation to bargain over the impact of a temporary closure.
During bargaining last week, the Kennedy Center confirmed it has laid off or terminated all workers in its Instant Charge and Group Sales and Subscription departments, effective April 27, more than two months before the temporary closure begins. Management also confirmed it will not replace the work.
“This is not a normal closure-related layoff,” said International President Matthew D. Loeb. “The Kennedy Center appears to be using a temporary closure as cover to permanently eliminate union jobs in violation of its contract and federal labor law.”
Under its collective bargaining agreements, the Kennedy Center is required to bargain with the unions over staffing levels, job protections, and support for workers affected by a temporary closure. That includes maintaining employment where possible, providing protections during the closure, and restoring jobs when operations resume, all of which it did during the closure prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead, the Kennedy Center gave workers termination notices before bargaining over the effects of the closure and refused union demands to keep employees working while negotiations continued.
Instant Charge employees handle phone ticket sales, assist patrons with online issues, and answer questions about seating, accessibility, and performances. Group Sales and Subscription workers coordinate access for schools, families, and community groups. The work still exists, but management chose to eliminate the workers anyways.
“When patrons call, no one will answer,” President Loeb said. “When schools or community groups want tickets, there will be no staff to help them. The Kennedy Center made that choice.”
Union representatives repeatedly asked the Kennedy Center to explain why entire departments were eliminated seventy-one days before the temporary shutdown. Management offered no clear explanation and rejected proposals that would have kept workers employed while bargaining continued.
IATSE has filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board over the Kennedy Center’s actions. “We will not allow an employer to ignore its contract and strip workers of their rights,” President Loeb said. “IATSE is prepared to exhaust every available avenue to protect our members, defend their jobs, and hold the Kennedy Center accountable.”
Union members and allies will also be informing the public about these actions in the weeks ahead, including outreach to patrons attending performances this week. “The Kennedy Center is a public institution,” President Loeb said. “It has a responsibility to the workers who serve its audiences. Those workers are not expendable, and we will not back down.”
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The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees or IATSE (full name: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada), is a labor union representing over 170,000 technicians, artisans and craftspersons in the entertainment industry, including live events, motion picture and television production, broadcast, and trade shows in the United States and Canada.
For more information please contact:
General: comms@iatse.net
Press: press@iatse.net