Juilliard Crew Workers Vote to Unionize with IATSE

One hundred twenty-five production crew members at The Juilliard School have achieved union representation from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election held on Friday. The results of the vote revealed near-unanimous support for the union, with over 95% of votes cast in favor.

The group consists of full-time and part-time workers responsible for essential production roles at Juilliard, including scenic shop crew, stagehands, costumers, and hair and makeup artists.

"We know our work, and we know the demands of our shops," says lead carpenter A.J. Cote. "We want our coworkers to thrive. I truly believe collectively we can represent ourselves better as a union. This is our livelihood; we deserve an equal part shaping it."

Inspired by the broader unionization movement within New York's off-Broadway community, the crew launched their grassroots campaign a year ago, seeking to establish a stronger voice in their workplace. As a show of determination, the workers began the campaign with a march on Juilliard management to demand voluntary recognition of their union. In addition, workers created a unique design to represent themselves, combining the IATSE emblem with Juilliard's penguin mascot as a symbol of collective unity.

Matthew D. Loeb, international IATSE president, says, "These workers understand that a union is the only way to ensure a voice in the workplace. An employer's promise is meaningless unless it's in writing in a union contract."