Alamo Drafthouse Locations Threaten Strike Over Layoffs

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Workers at an Alamo Drafthouse cinema in Colorado are planning a walkout due to layoffs they allege break federal labor laws. They join staff members from two cinemas in New York who have already taken similar action.

100% of staff members at the Sloans Lake theater chain location held a vote on February 5 and 6 to approve a potential strike. Just days prior, the company had let go of 47 employees out of nearly 300 workers spread across three Colorado locations. This action, according to Denver-based Communications Workers of America Local 7777 – which has a recognized union at Sloans Lake – is unlawful. The CWA Local is also attempting to unionize theaters in Littleton and Westminster, CO; the outcome of these efforts will be decided during ongoing hearings at the National Labor Relations Board.

According to union president Anthony Scorzo of Local 7777, the company did not legally carry out layoffs during contract negotiations at Sloans Lake, as it was in the process of organizing three locations and currently negotiating a potential contract for all three. He explains that since the layoffs constituted a change in working conditions and violated established practices, they were illegal. The affected workers had not previously faced layoffs, except during COVID-19, with the company only reducing hours instead.

On February 3, the day of the layoffs at Sloans Lake, the CWA Local lodged an accusation with the NLRB for alleged breach of contract and failing to negotiate in good faith; a verdict on this matter is still pending. It’s important to note that there are also outstanding claims of unfair labor practices at the Littleton and Westminster locations, which, if unresolved, could potentially involve non-union workers in those sites taking part in strikes based on unfair labor practices.

The Alamo Drafthouse opted not to provide a statement, yet a reliable source within the company expressed dissent towards the union’s claims, stating that management is genuinely negotiating in good faith.

Workers in Colorado have voted to authorize a strike, aligning themselves with colleagues from Alamo Drafthouse’s lower Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn locations who initiated a strike on January 28-29, receiving approval from 98% of participants. Similar protests occurred at the unionized New York theaters, which took action against their own layoffs by filing an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board on February 3. At that time, Will Bobrowski, the second vice president of UAW Local 2179, stated to THR that this was the first instance where management had clearly crossed a line beyond what the law permits.

Reductions in staff at Colorado and New York’s theaters are part of a series of cuts happening nationwide, impacting both on-stage and corporate employees at Alamo Drafthouse cinemas. This is approximately six months after Sony took over the exhibition chain. The union aims to use an authorization vote to persuade the company to rescind the layoffs and rehire the affected workers, according to Scorzo.

A strike authorization vote empowers union leaders to schedule a strike if necessary, but it doesn’t mean a work stoppage will definitely occur. The specific timing for any potential walkout is still undecided. As stated by Scorzo, the decision about when to take action rests with either the workers or the bargaining committee.

Since September, the union has been engaged in contract negotiations for Sloans Lake employees and has held nine bargaining meetings with management so far. Another session is planned for next week. Matt Kelley from Ogletree Deakins has taken charge of the management’s negotiations, while Scorzo has been spearheading the union’s discussions.

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2025-02-12 03:26