Tucson, AZ — Fifteen production employees at the Arizona Theatre Company’s Tucson branch have voted unanimously to be represented by The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 415, the union announced Thursday. This organizing victory brings practically all theatrical production roles under union representation, including carpenters, electricians, scenic and costume shop workers, as well as professionals in paints, props, lighting, sound, wardrobe, and hair/makeup.

As Arizona’s only League of Resident Theatres (LORT) professional regional theater, ATC produces a full season of plays each year, constructing sets in their Tucson shops and staging performances at the 623-seat Temple of Music and Art in Tucson and the Tempe Center for the Arts in the Phoenix area.

Workers recently showed their unity and solidarity by proudly wearing their union pins to an opening night performance as they prepare to negotiate their first contract. Key priorities for the group in negotiations include more frequent breaks, less exhausting schedules, and wages that keep up with the rising cost of living in the area.

“I have been amazed and inspired by the organization and the unity of this group of workers,” said Ian Fritz, Business Agent and Organizer for Local 415. “Our local is excited to welcome them into membership, into our IATSE family, and to work with them to win a fair contract.”

“Crews across North America are increasingly looking to the IATSE to gain a voice in their workplaces,” said IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb. “From Broadway to regional theaters, workers in this industry know that to achieve meaningful improvements in their conditions, they must come together in a union.”

Theater crews are organizing to win essential access to healthcare, training, robust safety measures, and livable wages. If you are interested in joining the movement, head to iatse.net/join to contact an organizer.