WASHINGTON, D.C. — The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) applauds the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recent ruling that mandatory captive audience meetings—employer-led, meetings designed to dissuade workers from unionizing—are unlawful nationally. The NLRB’s decision represents a significant step in protecting workers’ rights to make independent choices about union representation, free from intimidation or coercion by management.
Captive audience meetings are a known union-busting tactic where employers require workers attend anti-union meetings during work hours, often with the implication of disciplinary consequences for non-attendance. These meetings disrupt workers’ autonomy and allow employers to observe workers, including those who might express favorable support for unions. They also demonstrate the companies’ economic power over workers and interfere with workers’ independent and free choice. Under the new Amazon.com Services LLC ruling, the NLRB prohibits employers from mandating these meetings under threat of discipline and keeping attendance at them, though employers remain allowed to share their views in voluntary settings. The ruling only applies to cases moving forward.
Behind the scenes entertainment workers seeking to join together under IATSE’s umbrella have frequently been subject to these meetings during the unionization process. “Workers must be allowed to join together in unions free of employer interference or coercion,” said IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb.
“This decision is a major step towards that ideal, and this is what’s possible when we have an administration and a Labor Board that respects and protects workers’ rights. However, let’s be clear: under the incoming Trump administration we expect the NLRB and its pro-worker decisions to come under threat. We urge Congress to prioritize reappointment and confirmation of NLRB Chair Lauren McFerran as soon as possible to safeguard American workers.”
As a union representing behind-the-scenes entertainment workers across the United States and Canada, IATSE is committed to supporting protections that empower workers to advocate for fair working conditions within all levels of government. IATSE stands firm in our mission to defend this right and to resist any future rollback of these hard-won protections.
Previously, ‘captive audience meetings’ were restricted or banned outright in a number of states, and the NLRB’s decision now makes it a national standard. The NLRB decision emphasizes and reaffirms that employees are entitled to freely decide whether to participate in union discussions without feeling pressured by employer economic power. The full decision is available on the NLRB’s website, here.
